


The Bug Collector

by sunnyskipper



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst and Tragedy, Creeper Hybrid Sam | Awesamdude, Family Bonding, Family Dynamics, Found Family, Gen, Headcanon; Techno's voices are lost souls, Hybrids, Magma Cube Hybrid Tommyinnit (Video Blogging RPF), Moobloom Hybrid Tubbo (Video Blogging RPF), Piglin Hybrid Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Piglin Hybrid Wilbur Soot, Sheep Hybrid Cara | CaptainPuffy, Sleepy Bois Inc as Family, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:55:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 57,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28165125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunnyskipper/pseuds/sunnyskipper
Summary: ( Inspired by the song - The Bug Collector by Haley Heynderickx )Phil has always been a gentle, caring and selfless man no matter what he's been through. In some villages, he's viewed as a courageous hero, someone to be admired for their strength and unlimited kindness. In only his mid-twenties, he chose to retire, relocate far away from any residences, where he could live happily with his newly adopted children, away from any conflict and danger. He only wants to keep them as safe as possible. That's all he ever wanted.Why does the world have to be so cruel.
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s)
Comments: 62
Kudos: 402





	1. White Winter Hymnal

**Author's Note:**

> This work was inspired by all the posts about hybrid sleepy boys inc. Such as @chewwypepsicola on twitter for the magma cube hybrid tommy, and wilbur and techno piglin concept
> 
> Also, all chapters are inspired by songs, so check 'em out.

For years, Phil wandered the world, helping those in need, and simply exploring. He didn't stay in one place for long, he'd be at a certain village for at the least; a night or a couple of days, and at most, a week or two. He was always remembered for his kindness and generosity, greeting everyone he came across with a bright smile. He didn't ask for a lot in life, just enough to keep him on his way. He didn't seek anything on his journeys, perhaps some companions, but the friends he made would eventually go their own way, and that was alright. He didn't mind traveling on his own in most times, he had the company of villagers whenever he'd stop by to say hello, and rest a bit. He eventually became well-known for his face, showing up everywhere.

Then, he became recognized as a hero, simply by slaying mobs and saving the villagers, but there were more dangerous enemies that he took on, and in the end came out as the victor. He was offered fortunes, gifts of gold, but he couldn't accept. They were much better keeping such valuable things to themselves, he had no need for their precious things. He truly was a hero, a beaming, blinding light that everyone cherished, and would all cheer for when he'd take his leave, hoping to see him again.

Things changed one day for the better when he took a trip to the Nether, just to collect some things for his travels. However, he ended up coming across two... peculiar children. He'd seen piglins before, many times, but these two were... different. They seemed more human than the rest, but alas were still clearly piglin, with their pointy ears, hooves, and fluffy heads. Also, one of them appeared more boar-like, with its odd colouration, whereas the other looked more... normal, fluffy and pink. He had no need to attack, so he didn't, but the two just... watched as he mined, staring curiously. So he chose to approach, and immediately, one of them stepped forward and glared, tightly gripping a golden sword. He seemed to be... protecting the other one. They were friends, even brothers, perhaps.

One thing lead to another, and he ended up bringing both of them back home. Two little piglin boys, who were surprisingly calm. The regular piglin had put up a fight against Phil, whom he saw as a threat to his brother, but of course, he lost. He seemed rather scared, fearing Phil would attack, and even so, instead of retreating, the piglin stood his ground, continuing to defend his brother. 

Phil wasn't exactly sure what he was supposed to do now, with two young piglin boys. He didn't have a permanent home, only staying at villagers or setting up temporary camps. So, he set up a small camp, and introduced himself to the kids, giving them some food to gain their trust. They were quite cute, actually, and from that point onwards, he chose to have these little guys accompany him, like his kids, almost. However, he quickly ran into a few issues; such as hatred from the villagers, despite them seeing him as their hero, they couldn't believe he had taken in such hideous beasts, and treated them like people, giving them outfits and feeding them.

To his misfortune, the majority of villagers acted that way. Only a few were accepting, either because they were afraid to speak up and voice their opinions on the curious matter, and there were only a few that he met who were genuinely alright with the piglin kids, even greeting them and such, only to be shunned by friends. It started to become a problem, which would've been easily resolved if he just let go of the kids, but after only having them for a couple of days, he had grown attached. 

So, for the next couple of weeks, he couldn't stay at any villages. There was another occuring problem, too, they weren't so used to travelling so far without rest, unlike him. But eventually, they got used to the long days, and although Phil would usually continue on his way throughout the night, he decided to change that, allowing the kids time to sleep. He contemplated making a permanent home, not just a tent that he'd have to destory once the morning sun raised. It also made him ponder about retiring, but at the same time, he was only twenty-one, his adventures were far from over. And he wanted to show the kids the world, even if there were people that would try to shun them away, he'd be their guiding light through the darkness; their Father, in other words. 

Their problems slowly began to fade as time went on. He no longer visited villages as often, and when he did, the boys, whom he had named Wilbur and Techno, would wear disguises, hoods to cover their faces. When someone would happen to catch a glimpse at their faces, and realize what they were, Phil would make sure that the villager wouldn't do anything too rash, and thankfully, it never escalated and they'd be on their way. 

During their journeys, he started teaching the kids to speak. He assumed they were around ten years old, at least that's how they appeared, judging by their height and structure, but at the same time, he didn't know much about piglins. It could be a bit confusing at times, but eventually, they learned how to form words, and then full sentences. It was a true miracle, but after one whole year of keeping the two, something bizarre happened.

They had set up base for the night, and after taking care of the nearby mobs, Phil returned to the camp to find Wilbur in a bad mood. "Will, what's wrong?" He asked, as the boy sat in the corner of the tent, knees to his chest, looking away from Phil. Puzzled, Phil approached, and sat down beside the boy, who huffed, and lowered his head. 

"We talk like they do, but they still don't like us... why? What can we do to make them like us?" He asked, meeting Phil's gaze. Phil didn't really have an answer for him, although there was one solution. It'd get rid of all the nasty comments and mean looks, and he'd thought about it before, but dismissed the suggestion. "I don't want to be a monster!" 

Phil opened his mouth to answer, but stopped himself, seeing Wilbur's pleading look, and puppy eyes. He deeply sighed, rubbing his temple. "There is one thing I can do for you, you can take a potion." Immediately after hearing those words, Wilbur's face lit up with pure joy, and it brought a small smile onto Phil's face, only for a moment. 

Before he could continue, Techno interrupted. "Whatever he's taking, I want it, too!" He exclaimed confidently, causing Phil to sigh again. Now, he didn't have the option to say no. Not when they were both so excited to finally fit in, no longer having to deal with looking out of place, they could look just like Phil. Phil glanced between the two, and bit his bottom lip. There was no backing out of this. 

He gestured for Techno to come over, and he sat down beside Wilbur who turned to face Phil. Phil reached out his hands and placed them on top of his sons' heads, smiling warmly. "Now, I want you to know, whatever form you take you'll still be my precious boys," he assured, chuckling quietly as they both threw their arms around him and hugged him. 

"Thanks, Dad," they said in unison, and his heart skipped a beat. He really had become a Father of these two, and he had no regrets. He hugged them back, softly sighing. 

"Just... make sure you know what you're doing, and you won't regret this in the future," he said, as they pulled away. They exchanged looks, then turned to him and nodded. 

They both took a shapeshifter potion, and beforehand, Phil asked them again if they were certain about this, only for Wilbur to impatiently take the potion from his hand. They should have taken his precautions more seriously, because afterwards, they were bedridden with a fever for two days and two nights. They suffered, but in the end it had been worth it, as they awoke in human forms. Phil had been hesitant on leaving them alone in their feverish state, unable to do much on their own, but he left to find food and returned shortly after. 

"Dad!" They both cried out the second he slipped through the entrance, and hearing them, he immediately rushed inside. 

"Kids! Kids, are you alright?" He asked, only to be tackled to the floor. When he left, they were still asleep, but now they were filled with so much energy. "Okay, okay, you can get off me!" He wheezed, and when he opened his eyes, his breath hitched as he saw two... human boys on top of him, eyes wide, large smiles plastered across their faces. Then, they wrapped their arms around him again lovingly.

"It worked! We look like you!" Wilbur exclaimed, him and Techno still clinging onto Philza as he stood up, and he carried both of them in his arms. They didn't look exactly like him, Wilbur had dark brown hair, and sharp, pointy ears like Techno but a little bit different, and Techno still had his bright pink hair. But they were human, nonetheless. 

"My sons..." he hold them both close, feeling like he could almost cry. He still didn't visit villages as much, he didn't need to. He continued to wander the vast world with his two sons by his side, eagerly helping him along the way. The idea of settling down in a nice, comfortable home somewhere surrounded by large, open fields lingered at the back of his mind, and when the moon rose into the night sky, and he sat with his two asleep sons under the stars, it didn't seem like such a bad idea. But at age twenty-two, he stayed on his journey.

For roughly six more months, at least, until he came across another child. He'd simply been venturing through the Nether with his two sons when Techno yelled out in panic. Phil turned around to see he had somehow strayed from the path, and quickly followed Techno's voice, picking up Wilbur so he wouldn't get lost as well. "Techno!" He cried out, his heart racing as he ran as fast as he could. "Where are you, Techno?!"

He turned a corner and skidded to a halt, placing Wilbur down who ran to Techno's side, who had changed back into his piglin form and sat on the ground, staring at something in bewilderment. He held his diamond sword tightly and pointed at what had him so shaken. "What the heck is that thing?!" He yelled, in shock and disgust. Phil could only imagine what he'd come face to face with, a ghast, a magma cube... well, it was kind of the last option, but at the same time, also a child. A literal child appearing no older than the age of six. 

It was like a weird hybrid of a human and a magma cube, it took a few seconds for his mind to process the strange sight which had Techno so afraid. It had been a magma cube in the form of a human child, sitting helplessly on the ground. Its entire body was literal molten lava, and it had no definitive facial features asides from its eyes and eyebrows. It had no nose, or mouth. He squinted his eyes, still unable to properly process the odd... creature. 

"It looks so cute!" Wilbur commented, to Techno's and Phil's astonishment. Then, Wilbur left his twin brother's side and approached the magma child, crouching down in front of it. "Hello there! What's your name?" He asked curiously, tilting his head. The child tilted its head, and slowly reached out its hand, but before it could touch Wilbur's face, Phil came in and swooped up Wilbur. 

He sheepishly laughed and cleared his throat, setting Wilbur down at a safe distance. "I don't think that's a good idea, Will, it's made out of magma," he warned him. Wilbur stuck his lower lip out and pouted, crossing his arms. He stared past Phil, his eyes fixated on the child that simply sat there, and met Wilbur's gaze, and tilted it's head. Such an action immediately melted Wilbur's heart. 

"Can we keep him?" He asked, and attempted to run past Phil with his arms wide open before even receiving an answer. Thankfully, Phil caught him before he could reach the magma child. 

"No!"

They ended up taking him, thanks to a fire resistance potion. The dripping lava trail had been a problem, though, with how almost anything could easily catch on fire. Wilbur named the child, assumably a boy, Tommy. Phil pondered how he went from a simple traveler who occasionally journeyed with friends, to adopting not two, but now three, hybrid children within two years. He soon enough got the hang of taking care of "Tommy", knitting him fire resistant clothes with Techno's help until the boy learnt how to cool himself down so nobody would get third degree burns simply by touching him. He soon learnt how to speak, as well, but the whole 'dripping lava' thing remained a problem for almost a whole year. 

He wasn't going to venture the whole wide world with two ten year old children, and one six year old. So, after some time of putting it off, he decided to go into retirement at age twenty-two. When he finally considered it, he realized that relaxing at home wasn't such a bad thing. He'd seen most of the world, so he could assume, and things honestly started to get boring and repetitive. Asides from finding three hybrid children, that is. Travelling so much wasn't good for them, as much as they enjoyed sightseeing and discovering new things, they could do that on their own when they're older, but for now, retiring at a permanent home seemed to be the best option.

So that's what he chose to do, and got to building their very own family home. It was meant to be a surprise, but on one hand, it became kind of obvious what he was building. It didn't take long, but enough time that his kids started to wonder why they had suddenly stopped exploring. They asked him countless questions, but he tried to be as vague as possible until it was finally complete. 

He finished it first thing in the morning, and didn't sleep all night, but it'd been worth it. 

Wiping the sweat dripping down his forehead, he let out a long sigh and dropped his axe. Then, he peered over his shoulder at the tent his three children were currently resting in. He'd come so far in the past two years with them, and in all honesty, he wouldn't mind just spending the next few years right here, by their side, away from conflict and any danger. He'd keep them safe, so nothing would ever tear them apart. No mean-spirited, rude villagers, and they could handle any mobs that come their way. He'll fight for them. 

Wilbur crawled out of the tent, blocking his face from the blinding sun, he stood up. His eyes went wide and his jaw dropped at the sight of a fully finished house, and sprinted towards it in glee. "A house! It's a house!" He exclaimed, waking up his two brothers. Phil chuckled, bending over to ruffle his hair. 

With a long groan, Techno appeared. Shaking his head, he shifted into human form, and rubbed his tired eyes. Then, he let out a startled shout as he jumped to his feet, and glared daggers at Tommy slowly crawling out, who had "accidentally" burnt him. 

"Why you little..." he trailed off, distracted as he noticed the new, large building from the corner of his view. Turning his head, he was left in awe. Tommy ran past him, slightly burning Techno's hand on accident this time. "Hey! You brat!" Techno shouted, and chased his brother to the house. Before he could get his hands on him, however, Phil casually stretched out his hand and blocked Techno in his tracks, who scoffed, glaring at Tommy who hid behind Phil, and stuck his tongue out. 

Techno reverted to his piglin form, breathing out through his snout, and attempted to push past Phil and catch Tommy. They ran circles around Phil as he tried to calm them down. "Hey, hey! Stop it, you two!" He demanded, and grabbed Tommy by the back of his shirt, and lifted him up. He looked down at Techno, who turned back into his human form, and sighed, setting Tommy back down. He gave him and Techno warning glares before turning to face the house, his smile returning. "Look at this, this is our house from now on."

Techno mumbled something under his breath as he glared at Tommy, but then turned his attention to the home. His home, their home. Where they'll be safe, and could live together happily with no worries. 

Or so, that's how it was supposed to go.


	2. I'll build a home at sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The kids find a new, unexpected but welcomed friend.
> 
> song; axolotl by cosmo sheldrake

It'd been roughly three years since Phil built them a home. He had turned twenty-five, and yet already felt so old. Wilbur and Technoblade were both fourteen, whereas Tommy had recently turned nine, and changed from a quiet kid who didn't do much, to an ambitious and _very_ loud child who would never be quiet again after learning how to speak, and always enjoyed causing havoc, which most times was left to either Phil or Techno to deal with. They'd really grown into a family, and although at times it could be a bit much, taking care of three hybrid children, at least he didn't have to deal with them as babies. 

Tommy learned how to control himself, no longer dripping molten magma onto the floor and risking the chance of setting things on fire. He also started to appear more human, without the need of a potion ( thankfully ). His skin colour turned fair, like a person, instead of the colouration of a magma cube. He still had pointy ears, much smaller than Techno's and Wilbur's. He had this permanent blush on his face, and his eyes were always yellow, with red pupils, and yellow irises. Sometimes, his skin would still appear to drip, or melt, but he knew how to control his temperature for the most part. 

That is, unless he loses his temper. Then, he goes absolutely apeshit. The scelra of his eyes go red, his pupil and iris yellow, and he'd revert to his magma form. The same as when Phil first met him; his skin turned the same colour as magma, red, yellow and black, able to melt whatever he touches in his rage, his hair flowing like fire. His body would quite literally, catch on fire, and all they could do was try to calm him down. His skin would start dripping again, and that'd be a huge problem. It's the reason why Phil had to replace a lot of the wood in the house into something less flammable. 

But asides from that, they lived together peacefully. Surprisingly, they didn't get lonely, just the four of them living together. They'd attempted to have a pet before, a cow, a sheep, a horse... none of them exactly worked out, and they all met their end soon enough by accidents. In honesty, Phil didn't want to risk getting a cat or dog, but that's what Tommy wanted, either that, or a moth named "Clementine," but... Phil hadn't seen many moths in his travels. Precisely none, actually, not that he would admit that to the boy.

They had a farm, for crops only, though, but he was working on a beehive. Bees would work as good pets, right? You can care for them, but there's the risk of getting stung, which in return ends their life, and so you can't actually really touch them, but they're still there. You can admire them. Although the buzzing might be a bit problematic, unless they build it a distance from the house, then they'll be fine. He'd also considered having a farm with actual animals, but considering how upset they all were when their pet cow and sheep passed away... it wouldn't work out.

They were surrounded by open fields. A maze of sunflowers that'd somewhat traumatized Tommy after he ventured in there alone, and it took almost two hours for them to relocate him. They went fishing by the river bank, and were surrounded by tons of wildlife, just... no people, not for miles. That was fine, though, they never seemed to mind, but at the same time, Tommy had never interacted or even seen any other person asides from his family. Perhaps growing up in isolation hadn't been the best idea, but after three years, they were doing alright. 

Phil was happily spending his lazy Sunday morning outside, sitting on the front porch under the sun's ray, watching his kids. However, at some point he must've fallen asleep. The soft breeze blowing through his hair, it suddenly grew stronger, and knocked off his hat. That, accompanied by his kids' voices, woke him up from his nap. He felt around for his hat, and when he couldn't find it sitting on his head, he opened his eyes and sat up. The wind had caught it, and it floated in the air away from him. 

"I'll get it!" Tommy piped up, and chased after it. Phil watched with a smile, and chuckled, relaxing back in his chair he kept one eye open to see what Techno and Wilbur were up to. By the looks of it, they were sparing with wooden swords, a usual thing they started doing. He kept watching, curious to see who'd win, and soon enough, Techno managed to knock Wilbur's sword out of his hand, and stabbed him right in the chest. Wilbur faked his death, falling to his knees dramatically. 

Phil chuckled, and closed his eyes, but before he could drift off to sleep, Tommy's loud voice pierced his eardrums. "Daad! I found something!" He called from a distance. Phil quickly sat up, but couldn't see his boy anywhere. Though, Wilbur and Techno seemed to know where he had gone off to, and so he followed them, in his mind thinking over what Tommy could have possible came across. It could be anything, really, probably just... some berries, or something, there aren't a lot of dangerous mobs that come out in the daylight. 

He couldn't have predicted what his boy had really found. He crouched down in front of a large oak tree, the wind ruffling the leaves, it was the biggest, and oldest tree still standing. It was too beautiful to cut down, but not only that, there were handprints imprinted onto its body, and carvings that he couldn't make out. "What is it, Tommy? Careful, come over here," Phil asked, cautiously approaching before coming to a halt when Tommy stepped aside. Laying asleep underneath the large tree, was a young boy seemingly around Tommy's age, who shockingly had the features of a very rare mob ever hardly seen; a moobloom.

He had dark brown hair with small horns poking out, a flower crown of yellow and white flowers sitting atop his head, small floppy ears, and a tail. A few bees flew around his head and nearby, almost as if protecting him. They were a short distance from the house, and a random child, a hybrid one nonetheless, appeared out of nowhere. He mustn't have been there for long, sleeping peacefully. Though, it made no sense how he had suddenly gotten here, they were far from any villages or people, and he seemed to be in an okay condition, clean clothes that would be tattered and ruined from the long journey if he came here all by himself. Which simply isn't possible, for a long list of reasons.

There must be someone else here, an adult. "Stay here, kids," Phil said, and briefly wandered off on his own to search for the parent(s). He could hear his kid's voices in the background, discussing what they were supposed to do with the new child. Strangely enough, Phil couldn't find anyone. What he did find, though, were some footprints. They were old, made from when it'd been raining last night. So, it meant that whoever came here was likely long gone. 

He glanced back in the direction of the oak tree, confused. Why would anyone leave their kid here? Why would anyone even come this far into the middle of nowhere?

From where he stood, he could clearly see his house. He sighed, shaking his head. He can't take this kid to a village, it's too far, and he'll have to take everyone with him. He has no other option, though, but thinking about it again, the villagers would most likely act negatively towards a hybrid child, even if it's something harmless like a moobloom. The few villages that would possibly accept the boy are much farther than he's willing to travel. 

Then, the sound of crying, and yelling snapped him out of his thoughts, and he sprinted back. "Oh no, what did you do?!" He raised his voice, but cut himself off. The young boy was crying, just like he thought, but he clung to Tommy who although tensed up and clearly didn't know what to do in such a situation, did his best to awkwardly calm him down. Only around nine years old by the looks of it, and he'd been abandoned for someone else to take in. What if Phil had chose to leave the poor kid out here, or treated him horribly due to his species? The person who left him wouldn't have known.

The kid's parents are lucky he isn't that kind of person. However, he never planned on taking in more children, let alone another hybrid. At least with this one, he doesn't have to worry about the house burning down. He doesn't exactly have a choice but to care for him, whether temporarily until he can come up with a better solution, or perhaps adding him to the family. Whatever happens, he already knew he'd be there for the now orphaned kid for as long as he needs to be. 

He carefully pryed the nameless boy off of Tommy, holding him in his arms, he wiped the tears from his eyes. "Hey there, kid," he greeted softly, brushing the hair out of his face. "It's going to be okay, you're safe." Though, he continued to cry for a little longer, and he couldn't blame him. Wilbur and Techno anxiously watched from a distance, unsure what to make of the situation. Whereas Tommy stood by Phil's side, on his tip-toes to see the boy, concern laced his features, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. 

"Are you hurt? Hey, hey," he asked, grabbing onto Phil's arm to try and get a better view. "Why is he crying?" He looked at Phil for answers, tilting his head. He didn't wait for Phil to respond, instead walking off somewhere, leaving Phil to continue trying to calm the frightened boy down, wiping the tears from his eyes again. 

"I want my dad..." the boy mumbled, rubbing his eyes, he snifled. Poor boy, Phil can't imagine what's going through his head. He wakes up in an unfamiliar place, missing his father, and was picked up by a bunch of strangers. No wonder he's afraid and emotional, but he doesn't know the true extent of how alone he is yet. 

As Phil tried to comfort him, he was interrupted by Tommy's return. In his hands, he carried a variety of things, ranging to a bouncy ball, one of his stuffed toys of a bee, to Techno and Wilbur's props; a sword, and crown. Before Phil could ask what he was doing, he didn't get the chance to.

"Hey! What are you doing with those?!" Techno snapped, upon seeing the props, but Tommy only stuck his tongue out at his older brother, who shifted into his piglin form and snarled. That gave Tommy a fright, making him jump and drop the things.

"Shut up!" He shouted, crouching down to pick up the items. The nameless boy had stopped crying, seemingly intrigued by the objects, and so Phil carefully set him down. When Tommy stood up, he made eye contact with the boy, and lost his train of thought. He then shook his head, dropping everything again, and extended out his hand. "My name's Tommy!" He greeted.

The boy seemed to hesitate, but slowly reached out and gently shook his hand. "T-Tubbo..." he sniffled, then glanced down at the bee plush. The bees that had been previously floating above his head had disapeared off somewhere, scared off by their arrival. 

Tommy noticed his attention to the stuffed toy, and picking it up, offerered it to Tubbo. "Here!" He said, but Tubbo stepped back, eyes going wide. He backed into Phil, which caused him to jump and turn his back to Tommy as he stared up at Phil, who smiled softly and gave a small wave. Tubbo's body tensed up, and fear reflected in his eyes. He then slowly turned back around to face Tommy, who still held out the toy bee for him to take.

He glanced down at the bee, then back at him and so forth, questioning if he could really take it. Tommy answered by nodding, taking a step closer. As Tubbo reached out for the bee with trembling hands, Tommy shoved the toy into his hands, catching him off guard. Not a second later, he picked up the sword and crown, placing the crown on top of Tubbo's head, who immediately froze up. "Come on, we can play knights and dragons! I can be the knight, and you can be the King!" Tommy exclaimed, not giving Tubbo anytime to consider on his end. 

"You didn't even ask," Techno mumbled, narrowing his eyes at Tommy, though he didn't sound as bothered as before. He glanced at Tubbo, who's breath hitched, and tightly hugged the toy bee. Techno's expression softened, and he reverted to his human form. He rolled his eyes as Tommy stuck his tongue out at him mockingly, and pulled down his eyelid. However, his bravery vanished the moment Techno looked his way with a nasty glare, and he chuckled nervously.

"Come on, let's go!" He insisted, grabbing Tubbo's hand, he pulled him along. Clearly just wanting to get away from Techno, before he really gets himself into serious trouble. Tubbo stuttered out a few words, holding onto his paper crown that began slipping off his head, and kept the bee plush close to his chest. He glanced back at Phil as Tommy led him away, his tears dried up now, leaving noticeable stains under his eyes. 

At least Tommy managed to cheer him up, but without a doubt, he's going to be questioning things soon. Even if Phil doesn't explain everything, it's obvious what happened. His Father shouldn't be too far away, if he just came here last night. Though, there's no telling where he went, and it wouldn't be the best idea to seek him out. So, for now, he'll just have to raise the kid on his own. He already has three, so what's one more? He's had them for three years already, it can't be that hard. But at the exact moment that thought came to mind, he feared he'd jinxed himself. He quickly dismissed it with a shake of his head, and watched the two kids play together in the distance. They became friends within an instance, and Tubbo could really benefit from just taking his mind off all the questions for now. 

"Does that mean we have a new younger brother now?" Wilbur asked, snapping Phil out of his thoughts. He looked to his son, whose eyes were glimmering with hope. Phil didn't want to outright confirm anything, things could change, although that possibility was unlikely. He can't travel to a far away village and bring all of them along, nor can he leave any of them behind. Unless he does figure something out, it appears he's left with no other option.

He sighed, breaking into a sheepish smile he scratched the back of his head. "I suppose so..." he answered, and instantly, Wilbur's face lit up with glee, whereas Techno had the exact opposite reaction, not seeming too pleased to have another younger brother to deal with. He deeply sighed, his shoulders falling.

"Great..."

Phil couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Aw, come on, Techno, I'm sure it won't be too bad. The kid will grow on you in due time, and ─ wait, has anyone seen my hat?" He paused that train of thought as he remembered his hat had flown off somewhere, and Tommy didn't find it. Unfortunately, he couldn't see it around anywhere, and it'd been his favorite, lucky hat he's had for years. Ever since he first started his travels. 

Though, Techno had his own things to worry about. "Tommy, don't you _dare_ break anything! Hey!" He raised his voice as he caught Tommy acting recklessly with the props he'd made himself out of cardboard, with some minor assistance from Phil. He shifted into his piglin form, and charged towards the two before Wilbur could calm him down. 

"Oh, Techno! We need you to play the ugly dragon I slay! What ─ o-on second thought, don't come any closer! Dadza!!" Tommy began high-pitched screaming and shouting in terror when Techno approached, and began running around in circles as Techno chased after him, demanding that he hands everything over. Tubbo simply stood there watching, crown still on his head, holding a wooden sword in one hand and bee plush in the other, and then began laughing at the scene playing out before hom.

"I-it's okay, I've got this, Dad," Wilbur assured, running over. He was supposed to step in between Tommy and Techno, but to do that, he had to actually catch up to them. However, Tommy succeeded in outrunning both him and Techno. On the downside, his skin began turning to magma, and as it melted, it dripped onto the grass, which could very much catch on fire, and Tubbo unknowingly stood in the dangerzone. To make matters worse, none of them realised it.

Perhaps this isn't going to be as easy as Phil expected. Taking care of three, now four children is one thing, but hybrid ones? It just adds a whole new list of problems to deal with, and that list is only going to grow longer. "Oh no. Tommy, you're gonna set everything on fire, calm down! Tommy!!" 

But he'll make it work, somehow. He has to. He's the only thing these kid's have got, and by far, he isn't planning on letting them down by a long shot. 


	3. Lie down Under stormy night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Philza adores his children, as pesky and annoying as they can be sometimes.
> 
> song; blue ridge mountains by fleet foxes

Phil had an easy upbringing. He had loving parents, and had no enemies. He was safe in his little village, but he desired more, he wished to discover what lurked outside the village, in the wilderness. Ever since a young age, he knew he would grow up to leave his village, and his family, to explore the vast, wide world. His parents were hesitant on the idea of him being out there all alone, with no one to help him if he were to endanger himself. However, he was persistent, and tried to convince them whenever the opportunity arised. He was certain it was his calling to follow, he wouldn't settle for anything else. 

As he grew older and independent, his parents placed more trust into him and warmed up to his goal. He made a few friends in his village, though none of them were up for travelling by his side when the time came. So he bid farewell to everyone, promising that he'd return safely eventually, but he couldn't be sure how long he'd be gone for. He had a faint idea where he was headed, but couldn't be sure what he'd find on his journey, what awaits him was a mystery. 

He left at age eighteen, and he only visited his parents a few times. It used to be once every two-three weeks, but as he travelled further and further away from his home, the visits became less frequent, going from once a month, to once a year. Due to the distance and climate, he started sending letters instead. Until they stopped.

He soon lost ties with his family, and the companions he made along the way were only temporary. They say they'd keep in touch, but they both know the truth. Sometimes, it got a little lonely, camping out under the stars all by himself, asides from a few wild cats or wolves that he had, but couldn't keep. 

Once becoming a recognized hero, those things changed. He no longer felt isolated in such a big, wide world, but at the same time, he didn't have friends or people he could depend on. The villagers said they cared for him, cherished their brave hero who saved them from danger and destruction, but in the end, there was only so much they could give him. And when he thought he could depend on them, they turned their backs to him, losing the last drop of respect they held to him. 

The past couple of years had been a rollercoaster of emotions. At one point, everthing could be looking up to him, but then it'd all go downhil and he'd struggle to pull himself up, and once he did, he'd stumble, and fall back down. At least now he had these kids, who although were still quite young and still had a lot to learn, were there for him. They saw him as their Father, they depended on him and unlike the past relationships, when he needs them, they'll always be there for him. He won't rely on them too much, since they don't need that pressure, and he can handle himself well. They've had a difficult, different upbringing as hybrids, but he's here to make sure it's all smooth sailing from here.

And frankly, nothing stood in their way. They didn't need the assistance of others, after three years, Phil had gotten the hang of taking care of the rascals, and while he had adopted a fourth into the ever-growing family, nothing much changed. Tubbo got along thankfully well with Tommy, who no longer had to bother Techno when he got bored, or annoy Phil or Wilbur. He had a new friend his age to spend time with, but not only that, a brother.

Techno and Wilbur were growing more mature by the day, but at the same time, they were still only kids with a long way ahead of them. It's his duty as their Father to prepare them for that fateful day, when they'll go off on their own and follow their own paths and goals. He still has a few more years before he needs to worry about that, but time has flown by so quick. It felt like only yesterday when he found the two of them in the Nether, and decided to take them in as his own. He wonders, if he hadn't done that, where would he be now, at twenty-five years old? 

He could still be exploring, or perhaps he might have found someone to settle down with. In truth, he doesn't mind passing up that opportunity. Though he might have only found them a few years ago, they're his sons now who he will always hold close to his heart. And nothing will change that. Someone could offer him riches, the world, or something seemingly no one could pass up, and he'd do just that. He wouldn't trade anything in the world for his children, and that would never change.

It'd been three days since they adopted Tubbo, and he'd come to the decision that they won't be able to visit one of the far away villages in order to seek out a new parent. The chances of someone accepting a hybrid child were extremely low, and it wouldn't be worth the travel if they ended up empty-handed. That reality didn't settle in Tubbo yet, not realizing the true extent of his situation. He didn't seem to mind Tommy referring to him as his brother, he probably thinks that he's be reunited with his parent soon. 

The best choice would be to come out clean, and explain to him that... his Father won't be coming back, and Phil had tried to do that, but those big, bright, curious eyes staring up at him innocently made him back out of it last minute. He couldn't crush his poor heart, even though he'll soon come to realize it himself, and then he'll have to explain the truth to him, and he'll be wishing he'd done it sooner. At least he's having fun, running around playing with Tommy, and Wilbur had decided to join, acting as a knight alongside Tommy, fighting against the evil dragon Techno, who Wilbur somehow persuaded into joining. 

They had a peaceful life, though it did make him question if he acted a bit lazy sometimes, with not having many jobs to do. Asides from collecting food, cooking such food, keeping an eye on the kids ( although they can handle themselves, and there's not much they can do to endanger themselves ), checking on the crops, and working on building the beehive. Which Tubbo is looking forward to, having quite the fascination with bees, as he carries around the plush bee Tommy gave him almost everywhere. He's quickly grown attached to it. 

Because the kids were currently occupying themselves with their dragon and knights play, he needed something to do. He came up with the idea of making more costumes, because right now, they only have wooden swords, and the paper crown. Techno didn't appear like much of a fierce dragon, but that could be changed, though it would take some effort on Phil's behalf. It'd help to make sure he's still in shape, though, and to his luck, he was, but he's convinced even the healthiest person would have trouble wrangling sheep. 

There weren't too many around to begin with, but having fresh wheat to lure them closer helped. "Come on, just a little closer..." However, as he managed to catch the attention of one sheep that began approaching, wheat in one hand and red dye in the other, he didn't plan on accidentally luring in a few more. He didn't have enough wheat to go around. "Uh... nice sheep, I only need one of ya." Unfortunately, sheep can't understand human gibberish. They came closer, and he didn't know what to do.

If he made one wrong move, all of them would flee to the hills and he'd be left with nothing. However, he was being cornered by three curious sheep, and he froze in place, trying to come up with an elaborate plan to sort this out. He glanced over at the kids, who were busy in their own world; he couldn't bother them. Even if he did need their help. Not to mention, this is supposed to be a secret.

"H-hold on, weren't there only three of you?" When he looked back at the sheep, he'd suddenly gain two more. They were all stepping closer, and tried to stretch out their necks and grab a bite of his wheat. "H-hey! Stay back!" He raised his voice, thankfully not scaring them off, but at the same time, he wishes he had. He can't believe he's afraid of a couple of sheep, they can't do any harm to him, but their beady little eyes fixated on the small amount of wheat clenched in his hand unsettled him.

He then did whatever sane man would do in his situation; make a run for it.

"Surrender, you ugly beast! Let us kill you!" Tommy demanded, poking his wooden sword at Techno. The pink haired piglin heavily sighed, rolling his eyes as he regrettably recalled Wilbur forcing him into this mess of charades. Although he often uses the same prop with Wilbur, it's completely different when Tommy, an irresponsible and short-tempered child is involved. He spared a glance to Tubbo, who hadn't really done a single thing the entire time but sit there with a crown on his head, and a bee plush. He seemed a bit bored, having nothing to do but watch. 

This was the scene where Techno is meant to "surrender" without putting up a fight, because Tommy said so. What kind of lame, weak dragon would ever listen to a tiny child knight, instead of just blowing fire in his face. Though if he does anything of the sort and go against the script, Tommy would throw a tantrum and yell and shout at him, and risk setting himself on fire again, which Phil does not need to deal with again. He deeply sighed, and tilted his head back, looking at the clouds. 

If dragons really exist, then they'd be free, ferocious and powerful beasts that listen to nobody, they make their own rules. If he were a dragon, things would be so much easier. But sadly he isn't, and he's stuck with this tiny brat, who's poking him with his wooden sword, demanding that he gives in as he starts to get annoyed. Just as Techno was about to do so, he looked back to Tubbo again, who seemed really bored now. He didn't even have a smile on his face, he'd been completely let out of the story despite playing such an "important" role, as Tommy noted. 

So, Techno got another idea, and decided to change the script. Who cares if Tommy gets a little annoyed, it always happens and there's no point in trying to step around it. 

"If you do not stand down, dragon, we will have to use force," Wilbur warned with a sneaky grin. Though, his eyes widened when Techno sent a devious smirk his way, before simply pushing past Tommy and Wilbur, straight to Tubbo, whom he picked up with ease and carried over his shoulder. The act left both Wilbur and Tommy in uttermost shock. 

Techno snickered, finding their reactions humorous. Then, he laughed loudly, one fitting of a true villain. "Did you really think you could kill me? Surprise! I have taken your King, and," he paused when he noticed Tubbo attempting to reach his bee plush on the ground, not caring that he'd also lost his crown. So, Techno quickly crouched down and picked it up, handing it back to Tubbo before clearing his throat and continuing, his wide grin returning. " _Y_ _ou_ must surrender if you wish to have your precious King back!" He challenged. 

Wilbur gave him a quick thumbs up, but Tommy had the same reaction Techno expected out of him. "Techno! That's not how it's supposed to go!" He cried, stomping his feet. "Put Tubbo down!" However, Techno honestly couldn't care, as Tubbo obviously enjoyed this new twist, his smile returning to his face, eyes beaming with excitement. Not exactly how someone's supposed to react upon being kidnapped, but it's whatever. 

His smile started to fade at Tommy's words, which Techno couldn't allow. "Hey, just go along with it," he whispered, and Tubbo seemed a little confused, but nodded. 

He shifted his attention to Tommy, and played along. "Save me, knights!" He begged, kicking his legs, caught in Techno's hold and unable to escape. 

Tommy still seemed a bit offput by the idea of the script he made being changed all of a sudden without his acknowledgement, but Wilbur nudged him, and after thinking it over, he gave in. "You will not harm the King! We will save you, Tubbo! I mean, King!" He declared, and couldn't help but smile a little, despite the seriousness of their current scene. Luckily, it appears he won't throw a tantrum and ruin everything, to everyone's relief. 

Something else caught them off guard, instead. Before they could proceed into the next scene, Phil came rushing past them with a strong gust of wind, and followed by a herd of sheep right on his tail. He acted like they were a pack of wolves, teeth bared, ready to tackle him down and chew on his bones. "Dad...?"

"I'm fine, kids! Just, having a bit of trouble!" He called, and they all watched as he ran into the distance, the herd following. He then took a sharp turn, and came running back their way, what remained of his wheat still in his right hand. The children exchanged puzzled looks, dropping what they were doing to assist.

Techno carefully placed Tubbo down, before running out to help, followed by Wilbur. "Just drop the wheat, Dad!" Tommy instructed, cupping his mouth to make his voice louder over the sounds of rapid footsteps, and a whole group of sheep that wouldn't shut up. They'd started accidentally chewing at Phil's clothes whilst trying to eat the wheat, and there wasn't even much of it left. He wondered, is some red wool really worth all this trouble and agony? Yes, yes it definitely is. 

"Christ, Dad, what are you trying to do?" Wilbur asked, grabbing onto one of the sheep and separating it from the herd. He managed to hold it in place, whilst Techno worked on building a pen to gather the sheep into. Once done, he and Wilbur collected some wheat and tried to seperate the sheep into smaller, more easily managed groups. It suceeded, and in the end they managed to gather all of the sheep into the pen, though Phil didn't escape unscathed. He had fluff from the sheep all over his clothes, along with pieces of wheat, and the sheep had taken a few bites out of his clothes, as well. 

"Those bastards..." he grumbled, brushing the fluff and wheat off of himself.

Tommy laughed, running other he was followed by Tubbo, who tripped over his feet and fell over, but quickly got up and ran to Phil's side. "We have so many pet sheep now!" He grinned, admiring the loud animals trapped in the pen with awe. Phil sighed, ruffling the boy's hair. At least these ones won't die anytime soon.

"Why do we have so many sheep now, Dad?" Wilbur questioned, walking up to the sheep, he leaned his arms against the fence and held out his hand. He then began petting one of the sheep, whereas Techno kept his distance. 

Phil hummed, overlooking the herd. "Well, it's a surprise for later," he said, crossing his arms. Wilbur and Techno exchanged perplexed looks, trying to figure out what he could possibly want with so many sheep. Their eyes widened in horror. 

"Dad!! Don't tell us you're going to eat them!!" They exclaimed frantically, and Phil would never forget the traumatized looks on Tommy's and Tubbo's faces. They all eat meat, although Tubbo's diet is mainly vegetation due to his hybrid-genes, he assumed he'd taught them where meat comes from, or they already figured it out. He always goes out hunting alone, and brings back fresh meat. 

"N-no! I'm not, but where do you think meat comes from?! Come on!" 

Calming Tommy and Tubbo down had been a painfully difficult task, and Techno and Wilbur still wouldn't let their guard down. Although Techno had informed him that he and Wilbur did indeed know that sheep, along with other harmless mobs were often killed for food, but they were playing along to give him and the youngest a hard time. Wilbur had even named one of the sheep "Friend", the only one with blue wool. Things soon calmed down, and the children returned to their roleplaying, allowing Phil time to secretly dye and shear some wool. 

Inside, he wasted no time in getting to work. He'd only attempted sewing once or twice before, and that'd been a while ago. Though he did his best, spending hours upon hours working hard to create amazing costumes. Time flew by so quickly, night fell over them before he knew it, and he was putting the kid's to bed, making sure none of them caught a glimpse of his work in progress. 

Techno and Wilbur put themselves to bed, but he had to put Tommy and Tubbo to bed, along with reading them a quick bedtime story as a nightly tradition. He offered to do the same with the other boys, but they rolled their eyes, laughed, and brushed him off. Whatever, they were the ones missing out. 

"Alright kids, what story do you want to hear this time?" He asked, pulling out a stool he sat down in front of their beds. They exchanged looks, and sometimes, it almost seemed like they could read each other's thoughts with the stuff they come up with. Tommy sat up, and reached for a large, old dusty book from the bookshelf. It slid out and Phil caught it, but as he placed it under the light, his smile faded. "Where did you find this...?"

The heavy book had a hard, dark brown cover with the words written in gold; "The Story of Theseus." 

"We found it in your study! Can you read it, please? It looks so cool, like it's a thousand years old!" Tommy exclaimed.

Phil chuckled, brushing off the dust. He sat back down, and opened the book, flipping through the pages. The book was old indeed, although not _that_ ancient. He can brightly recall the times when his Father read him this passed-down tale as a bedtime story. He softly sighed, closing the book. "Are you sure this is the one you want?" He asked.

They eagerly nodded their heads, insisting he hurry up. 

"Alright, alright... it's a long one, so make sure you get comfortable." He flickered his eyes up to see the two of them shuffling in their beds, pulling the blankets over themselves, their beds were right next to each other. He chuckled, carefully moving to the first page, a bit of dust hitting his face. When he opened his eyes, the familiar words resting on the cream coloured pages played with his heart. He ran his hand along the page, lips pulled back into a fixed stare. His throat went dry as he opened his mouth, his voice coming out soft-spoken, and somewhat husky. "So let me tell you the story, Tommy. A story of a man called 'Theseus'."

The story went on for longer than he thought, but by the end of it, both Tommy and Tubbo were fast asleep. They started falling asleep half-way through it, but were persistent on staying awake to hear the ending, which they weren't happy about. It'd ended in tragedy, but that's just how some tales go. 

He quietly left the room, taking the book with him. He returned to his study, his table covered in the costumes, which he still had to finish. He placed the book down, his fingers lingering on the cover. As he was about to sit down, he swore he heard something outside. He hesitated for a moment, waiting to see if it'd happen again before going to investigate. 

At first he thought it'd been rain, but the dark sky was absent of any clouds. It hadn't been a mob, either, from what he could see. Then, he looked down, and found a letter by his feet. He picked it up, and taking one look around, he brought it inside. 

Bringing it to his study, he sat down and flicked on the lamp. The fancy white letter had an strikingly red seal, he ran his thumb against it, and ripped open the letter, but paused. Slowly, he set the letter down, and sat there, un-moving as silence hanged over his head. He sighed, head in his hands he leaned over his desk. He'll deal with it later, he told himself, when his head is clearer. 

He didn't open the letter. What he did do instead, was work until literal exhaustion on the costumes. He ended up falling unconscious, and woke up when the harsh sunlight shined down on him through an open window, blinding him. Opening his eyes, he squinted at the brightness. "Ugh..." groaning, he leaned back, and fell off his chair. 

"Jesus..." rising to his feet with some difficulty, he ran a hand through his hair and rubbed his sore, tired eyes. He almost wanted to sleep in a bit longer, he deserved some rest after all the hard work and effort he put in. Speaking of the costumes, he felt around for them on the table, but couldn't find them. Turning his head, the only thing atop the desk was the letter. His chest filled with dread.

He ducked under the table, but they weren't there. In fact, he quickly realized they weren't anywhere in the room. "Oh, no, no no," they had to be somewhere, surely. Nothing could have moved them, or... "kids! Kids, have you─" he ran outside, and was stunned by what he saw.

"En garde!" Tommy exclaimed, proceeding forward with a wooden sword. He and his brothers were roleplaying again, but this time, they were dressed in the outfits he had handmade for them. They didn't look too shabby, if he did say so himself. Though Tommy wore the scarf intended for Wilbur, clearly too long for him, as he stepped and almost tripped over it, causing everyone to stifle a laugh. Tommy huffed, pulling at his scarf, hitting himself in the face, which made the laughter grow louder. "Hey! Shut up!" He raised his voice. 

Then, from the corner of his eye, he spotted Phil, and his face immediately lit up. "Dad!" He attempted to shove his sword into his back pocket, but it fell out without him noticing as he made a dash towards his father, who crouched down and picked him up. "These are great! They're so cool, and soft!" He complimented.

Phil laughed, fixing his scarf. "Thank you, I'm glad you like it. But you could have warned me before taking them without permission," he said, but couldn't be annoyed in the slightest. He looked over to his other children, who waved with wide smiles spread across their cheery faces. He chuckled, lowering Tommy back down. "Alright then, go have your fun," he said, and Tommy ran off again.

"Hey! Techno, give me back my sword you bum!"

"Uh, Tommy, you might want to be a bit careful with ─ oh, dear." He'd tried to warn the boy, but he'd been too late. He'd toppled over after tripping on his scarf again, and fell face first planting onto the ground, which was covered in soft grass, but it didn't quite help. Techno couldn't help but laugh as soon as he saw it, and Wilbur tried to be kind, stifling back his laughter. Tubbo had instantly ran to Tommy's side, helping him up, his face was all red and a bit scratched up, tears in the corners of his eyes he quickly wiped away. He sniffled, attempting to act brave despite feeling like his nose was broken.

"Be quiet!!" He yapped, and charged at Techno. Despite the massive height and strength difference between the two, he confidently fought against Techno, by that means hitting him with his tiny, weak fists, and clinging onto his leg. Techno laughed hysterically, wheezing too, finding it all too amusing. That is, until Tommy set himself on fire, and Techno was wearing the clothes Phil made him.

"Tommy, wait, hold on a second! Tommy, don't burn those, I spent a long time making them! Tommy!!" He could be a brat sometimes. A lovable brat whom he cared for very much as his son, but... a certified reckless brat who loves to causs trouble, nevertheless.


	4. Tell me that you'll open your eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy can be reckless sometimes, but his Father is always there to get him out of trouble, no matter the costs.
> 
> Song; open your eyes by snow patrol

With every passing day, Tubbo grew more familiar with everybody. But, although he may be young and naive, he began to understand some minor parts of his new life. Such as; his Father most likely wasn't coming back. His last memories were a little fuzzy, the sound of heavy rain and lightning in his ears, when he closes his eyes, it's like he's there again. 

_"I'll be back soon."_

Is what he said, as he laid him down under the large oak tree to keep him safe from the rain. He was exhausted, and eventually fell asleep. At first, after he woke up and was greeted by unfamiliar strangers, he whole-heartedly believed that his Father would return. He had just gone off somewhere, and he'd be back shortly to collect him, his stay with these people was only temporary. A temporary family, but soon enough, he'll have to return to his own. 

Right?

But time passed, a week flew by and still no sign of his dear Father. Perhaps he'd gotten a little sidetracked, or lost, and when the weather gets rough, he's watching from the window, hoping he's doing okay out there, wherever he is. One day he'll be back, and although it's been a while already, it shouldn't be much longer. He'll be back before he knows it, he's certain. 

When the rain let up, Tommy dashed outside. "Tommy, be careful, hey!" Phil called out, disrupting Tubbo from his nap against the windowsill. He yawned and rubbed his eyes, slowly getting down. He glanced to the open door, Tommy poking his head through with a wide grin. 

"Come on, Tubbo, we're going fishing!"

He's never been fishing before. In fact, before this, he didn't spend a lot of time outdoors. His Father kept him mostly hidden from other people, but he said it was for his own good, and not to think on it much. When outside, he had to hide his horns around people, wearing a big, baggy coat.

The wildlife was quite beautiful, it constantly left Tubbo in awe. He's glad his Father brought him out here, although it is a long way from home and seemingly the middle of nowhere, it's a great place for a vacation. If only he were here to enjoy it, too, but somewhere out there he is. He wonders, what wonderful things and creatures he must be coming across. 

He and Tommy crossed the riverbank, and he watched the fast flowing currents. He almost wanted to stick his hand in it, but Tommy ushered him along, growing impatient. Tubbo slightly struggled to catch up to his friend, or his brother, as he's been asked to refer to. Though he may have gotten a little over his head, running across the rocky riverbank barefoot, wooden sword in hand that he used to help him up the steep parts.

Phil had told them not to go too far, and politely requested for Techno to keep an eye on him. He wouldn't take no for an answer, but they'd sprinted off in the direction of the river before Techno could tag along. As Tommy stated, they didn't need him ruining the experience and babying them. They were eight, and could handle themselves.

He kept an eye out, to make sure they weren't still being followed. Then, he came to a stop at last; Tubbo had started to grow tired. He sat down on the rocks, watching the river flow in front of him. 

"Look, Tubbo," Tommy said, standing on the very edge of the river, he crouched down. Tubbo moved closer, and peering into the water, his eyes went wide. In the river, there were fish, so many of them, swimming upstream. Tommy chuckled, standing up, picking up the wooden sword. "Here, you can use this, and I'll use my hands."

Tubbo hesitantly took the sword, and tilted his head. "What are you going to do, Tommy?"

Tommy grinned from ear-to-ear, "I'm going to catch us some dinner!"

With that, he took one step into the river, and almost lost his balance. He quickly pulled back, fear in his eyes, but shook his head. He tried a different approach instead; going on his stomach, he attempted to snatch the fish out of the water with his hands. He managed to catch one, but it slipped out of his hands, smacking him in the face with its tail before diving back into the water and swimming away. 

Tubbo laughed, whereas Tommy didn't find it amusing in the slightest. Grumbling to himself, already growing frustrated, he tried again. The fish only continued to jump out of his grasp, but in the split second or two before it did so, it sizzled in his hands. After the third attempt, the fish dropped into the water, somewhat cooked. 

"Hey, you got one!" Tubbo exclaimed, jumping to his feet. Tommy held the dead fish in his hands, and narrowed his eyes. He scoffed, and tossed it aside, but Tubbo caught it, though got surprised by its temperature and accidentally threw it back into the water. Before he could reach in and grab it, the current swept it away. "Oh, uh..." 

Tommy didn't seem bothered, or he simply didn't notice. He'd gone back to hunting down more fish, and although he was able to heat them up a bit, they always swam away before death and escaped. Tubbo didn't have too much luck, either, though he didn't try much and preferred watching. In the first thirty minutes, they'd only caught three fish in total, and one had accidentally been thrown back into the water and swam away. So, two.

"Maybe we should take a break," Tubbo suggested. He'd seen Tommy get riled up around Techno, he was a short-tempered kid, but this was different from arguing with Techno. Rather than just annoyed, he seemed genuinely upset. "We could ask Phil for some help, or Wilbur." 

He realized his mistake when Tommy rose to his feet with hands balled into fists, but it was too late to take it back. His jaw fell wide open as he witnessed Tommy's form shift, his body reducing to pure magma. Any fish he caught would be cooked to a crisp within mere seconds. He'd have to get in the water to do that, however, and he had one downfall.

"No! I am going to do this myself, I don't need their help!" He insisted, raising his voice. His thoughts all over the place with his mixed emotions, he wasn't thinking properly. 

"Tommy, wait, be careful─" he didn't act fast enough, reaching out his hand didn't do anything. 

Tommy whirled around to face him, bright red eyes burning through him, but he slipped on the wet stones. He fell backwards, and he couldn't transform quick enough. A cry left Tubbo's mouth as he stumbled to his feet and raced to catch him, but just only did he miss the chance. Small flames licking the tips of his fingers, they ceased as Tommy's body crashed into the river, water splashing up and hitting his face. 

Then, a burning hot hand slapped his ankle. He cried out, but it ended in an unintelligible sound when he looked down, and saw Tommy trapped. He kicked his legs, and reached out his hand to grab onto the rocks as the current pushed against him.

"T-Tommy!" Falling to his knees, Tubbo reached out to take his hand, forgetting in the heat of the moment that he couldn't. He only touched his hand for not even a second, but it'd been enough to burn his hand and cause immense pain. His body instinctively pulled back.

Tommy had lost his grip on the rocks, and the current pulled him downstream. His hands above water, desperately blindly searching for something to hold onto. The water against his molten hot skin caused steam to rise, making it difficult to see him. There was nothing Tubbo could do, not on his own. He didn't want to leave his side, but every second he spent standing there useless was only making it worse. "I'm going to get help!" So, he forced his body to move, and ran as fast as his wobbly legs would take him. He yelled for help, so loud that it made his throat sore, he screamed and shouted for anyone to hear. 

Tears streamed down his face, his words blurring together reduced to unintelligible mumbles and sobs. His legs gave in, and he collapsed into Wilbur's arms, grasping at his jacket. "Tubbo!" He scooped the small boy up, carrying him in his arms. "Hey! Hey, what happened? Where's Tommy?"

Wiping the tears from his eyes, Tubbo pointed in the direction he ran from, forcing the words out. "H-he fell into the river! You have to help him!" 

Wilbur hadn't even noticed Techno until he sprinted past him, followed by Phil, bolting in the same direction.

"Tommy!" Phil called out, in his mind he scolded himself over and over again for not keeping a proper eye on them. He'd told them not to go far, he should've known Tommy wouldn't listen, and if Techno wouldn't do what he asked, then he should have done it himself. It doesn't matter. It's nobody's fault but his own, and he just prays to the gods above that his poor boy is alright and he'll make it there in time.

He should be turning back, Tommy knows that. If he does, the water will no longer sting his body like a thousand tiny needles, and it only became worse with every passing second, pain consuming him, melting away his body. At least, that's what it felt like. The pain became overwhelming and his body screamed for it to stop; is this what being on fire feels like, your whole body lit aflame? He's been told it's a horrible sensation similar to this, unbearable pain that depending on the severity, is almost impossible to soothen.

His head surfaced, and he could hear a voice; "Tommy! Hold on, I'm coming to get you!" Phil's voice. He forced his eyes open, and running along the river trying to catch up to him, he saw Phil. Just as relief started to soothe him, an unseeable force pushed his head back underwater. Water rushed into his lungs, further damaging his body from the inside. Everything screamed, begging for it to stop. It was a complicated feeling; he didn't know what was going on. On one hand, he thought he was melting away, and he'd be reduced to nothing as the water swallowed him whole. On the other hand, his movements turned stiff; he could no longer splash his arms about, and asides from the excruciating pain, there was this almost bubbly sensation on his skin.

Then, it all ceased. Everything faded away, and he stopped struggling. He could no longer breathe, and his eyes rolled back. Arms wrapped around his body, fishing him out into the sunlight.

"Breathe, Tommy, breathe!" Phil held his son in his arms, Tommy's molten magma skin had started to bubble up and harden, especially on his arms. It still burned Phil, severely on his arms, and although it rapidly burned away at his skin, he persisted. Tears rolled down his face, evaporating when they touched the boy's skin. "Please, come back to me. Don't leave me, Tommy, stay strong... breathe, Tommy, breathe." 

He could do nothing. He couldn't give him CPR, not when he was stuck in this form. He could do nothing at all, as he slipped away from him, like grains of sand through his fingers; falling through despite his best efforts. "Don't leave me, please... I can't live without you."

The heat pressed against his arms slowly faded, Tommy started changing back. However, the molten lava forming his right arm had hardened, and couldn't transform with the rest of his body. His chest rose and fell at an agonisingly slow pace, but it moved, nonetheless. Slowly, his eyes fluttered open, and Phil embraced his son. "You're alive! You're alive..." it'd been a true miracle.

Tommy pulled back to cough out the water filling his lungs; those were likely damaged, too, as his entire body had been made out of magma. He took quick, shallow breaths and found it difficult to breathe air into his lungs. Now that he was in this form, Phil was able to do more to help him. 

"D-Dad! Your arms!" 

He'd been so distracted aiding Tommy, that he hadn't noticed the grotesque state of his arms. Both of his forearms were covered in deep, third-degree burns. He's lucky the rest of his clothes hadn't caught on fire, the water having extinguished Tommy's flames, and almost him. The excruciating pain hadn't settled in yet, but as he calmed down it would soon. He let out a shaky breathe, and realized Tommy was staring at him.

He took one glance at his arms, the injuries the result of saving him, and Phil hugged him close to his chest. Tears began to form in Tommy's eyes, but they were magma, so he hurriedly wiped them away before he could do anymore damage. He sniffled into his Father's chest, blinking back tears. "I-I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice hoarse, and strained. "I, I didn't..." he physically couldn't say the rest. 

Phil flinched as his arms began to ache, and it'd only get worse. He could barely move them now, but even so, he wrapped them around Tommy's frail body. "It's okay," he whispered, closing his eyes. "It's going to be okay, it's not your fault." He could only blame himself for this, even if no one was in the wrong, this could have been avoided, if only he had kept an eye on them, made sure they were safe... 

He thought they were safe. Out here, for the past three years, everything had been fine, they never encountered a problem such as this. And now, it's left a lasting scar, physically and emotionally for the both of them. He'll make sure nothing like this ever happens again on his watch, no matter what it takes. 

No matter what. 

They returned home, Techno carrying Tommy. Phil tried to hide the throbbing, uncontrollable pain in his arms that only increased as time went on, and there was little they could do to help it. They were far from any villages, any medics... he had to do it all himself, assuring his children that they needn't worry, putting on a fake smile. He ran his arms under cold water, applying whatever lotion and such he had, which unfortunately wasn't much; and lastly, wrapped them in bandages and took a few pain reliefs. In all seriousness, his concern focused on Tommy. 

Water on magma didn't end well. He refrained from speaking, it obviously hurt doing so. His right arm still hadn't recovered, and there were other, much smaller areas where the skin had hardened up. They had to deal with the possibility that it'd remain as a scar, but he wanted to stay positive; there's still the chance that it'd revert to normal, but Tommy seems to have already accepted the former. 

He sat in the living room, sitting in a fetal position on the couch. He wanted to be left alone, but everyone secretly kept an eye on him. Phil hesitated to approach from behind, taking one step forward the floorboard creaked beneath him, and Tommy noticeably flinched. He glanced over his shoulder and his wide eyes landed on Phil, who forced on a smile and came over. 

"Hey, kid... how, how're you feeling?" He asked, sitting down beside him. Tommy's eyes immediately flickered to his arms, the burns hidden away under bandages and his sleeves. Phil swallowed heavily, and his voice began breaking apart as soon as the first word got out. "Hey... I told you, it's alright, I'm fine. It doesn't hurt that much, and it isn't your fault." 

Tommy bit his lip, turning away, he hugged his knees to his chest and curled himself into a small ball. Phil thought for a moment, and then, something caught his eye.

He stood up and walked away, Tommy's eyes followed him curiously as he sat down on the back decking outside. Slowly, Tommy got up and did the same, sitting down next to him, they watched the others play out the back. However, Phil's attention was elsewhere. Noticing this, Tommy followed his gaze, and jumped when he spotted a small, nimble creature; otherwise known as a centipede. He backed into Phil, a dry sound similar to a frightened whimper escaping his throat.

Phil bit his bottom lip, pain surging through his arm that Tommy accidentally bumped into. Forcing a gentle smile onto his face, he weakly raised an arm and ruffled Tommy's hair, resting it over his shoulder he pointed at the insect. "It's fine, kid, it's only a centipede. They won't harm ya, it's more scared of you," he quietly chuckled. Though Tommy didn't look convinced, anxiously glancing between Phil and the bug, his body instinctively beginning to heat up. 

Phil stretched out his arm, and the centipede climbed onto his hand. It scurried around with its multiple legs, and Tommy stared at it as if it was staring right at 'im, ready to pounce and attack, he was petrified. Phil sighed, running a hand through Tommy's hair, causing him to flinch and look up at him. He leaned down, and the centipede left his hand, disappearing into the tall grass. "There, all gone, and it caused you no harm," he said softly. 

He was caught off guard when Tommy leaned against him, staring off into the distance. He was about to speak up, when;

"I love you, Dad."

He almost didn't hear him, his voice so raspy and quiet. He smiled, slinging an arm around him, he pullled him close. "Love you too, son." And that'll never change.

It began to rain; drops hitting the roof above their heads, they were safe whereas Techno, Tubbo and Wilbur who were still outside playing were suddenly drenched. The change in weather had been so unexpected, they had no time to duck for cover before it hit. 

Phil stifled out a laugh as he watched his children do their best to shield themselves, using whatever they had as shelter, they sprinted for cover. 

Phil glanced at Tommy from the corner of his eye, and he expected the boy to be laughing hysterically at his siblings even while having a bit of difficulty with speaking. However, to Phil's surprise and concern, the small boy appeared quite terrified by the harmless drops of water. They wouldn't harm him because he wasn't in his magma form, he was completely safe, yet after the recent events... it seems he may have forgotten that. 

He curled up into a ball, eyes wide as raindrops fell before him, and if he were to reach his hand out they'd come in contact. He used to love watching from the window during rainy days, making bets with his siblings which raindrop would reach the bottom first. He preferred staying inside, as anyone would, the rain usually comes down rather heavy. 

Now, however, it appears things have changed. 

"Hey," Phil spoke softly, snapping Tommy out of his thoughts, it took a moment for him to calm down, staring into his warm, comforting blue eyes. "Let's go inside," he said, and when he tried to stand, he had some difficulty. Tommy tried to help, but Phil assured him he was alright with a weary smile, and stood up. 

He looked over his shoulder in time to see his other three boys make it back home, screaming and soaking wet as they hurried past him into the house.

"Hey! Take your shoes off!" Phil snapped.

"Sorry!" His three boys all replied in unison.

Phil sighed, shaking his head, but with a smile on his face, he turned to Tommy. "Tommy?" 

He'd gotten a bit of water on his skin from when the boys sprinted past him, and he was frozen in place. Thankfully, he was still in his human form, and so it didn't cause him any harm, but he'd frozen in place, as stiff as a board.

"Tommy..." carefully, Phil wiped off the water with his sleeve, and, despite the remaining pain in his arms, he pushed through it and picked Tommy up, cursing quietly under his breath. He would have to take more pain medication, and he doesn't have a lot. He doesn't have anymore lotion or cream for the burns, either, so he'll just have to manage. "Come on, let's get you inside." 


	5. Like you're never coming back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something keeps Techno awake at night, and Phil struggles to keep his head high and push through it.
> 
> Song; Fear of the Water by SYML
> 
> Heads up; Tommy swears, and a bit of blood

Techno has always been a "quiet" person. Sure, not as quiet as Tubbo, and around his "siblings", he's actually quite loud with how much he teases Tommy, loving to see him riled up until he loses his temper and he has to calm him down before he burns something to a crisp. Around Wilbur, he's calmer, more relaxed. He acts somewhat the same around Tubbo, but that's grown into being more of a proud, older brother to him, teaching him the ropes and simply looking out for him. Phil remembers when he witnessed the time a mob was approaching Tubbo, who hadn't noticed yet, and Techno sent that mob back on its way with no more than a nasty glare.

He's quite humble, and whenever he's completely by himself, Phil has no idea where he could be. If he's in the house, he doesn't make a sound, happily doing his own thing in peace. 

He's never really spent time alone with Phil, even before Tommy came into the picture. He and Wilbur shared an unbreakable bond, and they still do, but they've made room for both Tommy and Tubbo in their hearts. Back then, Techno refused to leave Wilbur's side, always so overprotective of him, Phil had to worry about Techno starting a fight with any villager that looks their way with even the slightest hint of judgement. 

Nevertheless, Phil knows his son loves him, and everyone else, as much as he loves to annoy Tommy to his heart's content. He just have subtle ways of expressing it; such as his insane protectiveness before they had a permanent place to call home, and somewhat even now despite how safe they are here (asides from the mob they can never actually escape from). He always has a smile on his face, and it's clear that he genuinely has fun with his siblings when they're together. 

When Tommy and Phil were injured as of recently, whilst everyone tried helping out and did what they could to help, Techno acted uncharacteristically concerned. Tommy soon got annoyed with how frequently Techno was by his side, checking on him and such, asking him how he was feeling and if he could speak properly yet. 

It surprised Phil, who full on expected Techno to be laughing at his brother's misery, and rejoicing at the fact he couldn't be a loudmouth anymore and annoy him with his voice. Which, he still did, to make things feel like what they were before the accident, but far less than usual. He was genuinely concerned for Tommy, and whenever he happened to be around Phil, he'd constantly ask if he needed help with anything, and if there was, he wouldn't bat an eye before immediately doing as requested. Whether that be tending to the sheep they still ( somehow ) had, or simply carrying something or taking something down from a shelf, despite his short height, Phil's arms still needed to recover a little. 

In short, although he loves to be the annoying older brother to Tommy and make fun of him, and he can be a bit loud and obnoxious himself, though not often, he's a quiet, and humble boy who deeply cares for his family even if he doesn't know how to show it at times. So, Techno didn't think him, out of all people, would come to him in the middle of the night, by himself. 

Not once had he complained about nightmares or anything of the sort. Despite the long time they've known each other as Father and son, Techno has never seeked comfort in him or expressed his troubles, Phil assumed he just didn't have any. Not to mention, he's thirteen now, and he's heard most children start a rebellious phase at that end, and he'd been dreading that time for ages. Turns out he was wrong. 

"Techno...? What is it?" Phil asked grogily, slowly waking up. Waking up to see glowing red eyes and a lone figure standing in pitch darkness in his room is not something he wishes to experience again when he's still half-asleep. 

Slowly, Techno approached his bedside, and Phil flicked on a lamp. He was caught off guard by the distraught, fearful expression on his boy's face, who he knows as the bravest of his children. "Did you have a nightmare?" He asked in a hushed voice.

Techno shook his head, gaze downcast, he scrunched up his shoulders. His hair, which had grown to be quite long, was a complete mess, falling into his face.

"No, it's... the voices, there are these voices in my head and they're so _loud_ and they won't leave me alone," he whispered, voice breaking. He seemed... on the verge of tears. He clearly hadn't gotten any sleep, despite it being nearly four am. 

Phil patted a spot on the bed in front of him, and Techno climbed up. He's never been this... fragile before, it was both shocking and incredibly worrying. He'd never mentioned a problem with "voices" before, but if he'd been suffering from it before this, he would have told him, right? 

He was snapped out of his thoughts when Techno silently fell into his chest, and for a moment, Phil was lost, before wrapping his arms around him and holding him close. "What do they say, the voices?" He whispered. 

Techno didn't immediately respond, and still couldn't relax in his embrace. Then, he shakily grabbed onto his shirt, his head buried into his shoulder. It took a few moments for him to answer, in a quiet voice Phil had barely heard and he swore, as much as a shock it came to him as, he heard Techno beginning to cry. 

"They say a lot of things, but they... they want blood... and they won't leave me alone... I'm scared, Dad, I'm scared."

So was he, and for once, he didn't know what to do. 

Techno slept with him for the rest of the night, although it took some time for him to relax, and eventually staying awake became too much for him and he passed out. His body wouldn't stop shaking, but he wasn't cold. His breathing became rigid at some point, but it didn't last for long. No matter how much time passed, Phil couldn't bring himself to get a wink of sleep, waiting for the moment Techno wakes up. 

The sun rose before that time came, and he could hear Tommy and Wilbur's voices outside the door. So, hesitantly, he chose to leave Techno alone, still fast asleep, and left to check up on the rest of his children.

Although he greeted them all with a familiar smile, it hid his uncontainable fear lurking in the back of his mind. Voices, he said, and they craved bloodshed... 

There was a time he suffered a similar fate, but it'd been so, so long ago he'd since forgotten until now. They weren't only "voices", at least not in his case.

They didn't talk about anything else until Techno fell asleep, and Phil was haunted by his words, and his own past. Eventually for him, the voices, which he identified as souls rather than simply his own thoughts driving him insane, faded away as time went on, and he never heard from them again. Alas, he's being ruthlessly thrown back into past memories, unable to control what his own mind sees. Had it really been that long?

The startling sound of glass snapped him wide awake. He heard a few frightened shouts, and looked down to see he'd only dropped a glass, luckily empty. He shook his head, quietly telling himself to get it together, he was in front of the kids, who watched with weary eyes as he cleaned up the mess. 

"Are you okay, Dad? Are your arms hurting again?" Wilbur asked, coming forward. His eyes so soft and worried, if he had any problems, he'd come straight to him without hesitation, right? "Where's Techno? He isn't in his room." 

A simple question he had no problem answering, of course. He placed a hand on Wilbur's head, ruffling his already fluffy and messy hair with a small smile no one would notice looks a little odd. "He's asleep in my room, let him sleep for a little longer," he replied. 

Wilbur only appeared puzzled by his answer, Tubbo too, and as for Tommy... well, he probably shouldn't have said that when Tommy is in hearing range. Because as he should have known, the boy immediately ran to his bedroom to scream into his brother's ear, or do some other ridiculous method of waking him up that would definitely give him some kind of hearing loss. 

However, thankfully he didn't get the chance to, as when he reached the bedroom he was stopped at the door by Techno, grabbing Tommy by his head, turned him away and sent him on his way. "Not today," he mumbled, still tired judging by his tone. He'd only gotten a couple hours of sleep, for a boy his age who's still growing, he needs to rest for a lot longer. "What time is it?" He asked, rubbing his eye.

"You need to go back to sleep, young man," Phil said as he walked over, and Techno squinted at him with tired eyes. He tried to speak, but let out a yawn instead, further proving Phil's point. When he opened his eyes, Phil was already in front of him, ushering him back to his own room. "Now go on, shoo!" 

Techno got the point, walking off on his own, before being stopped by Wilbur who gripped him lightly by the shoulders, the two of them were practically the same height. "Are you feeling okay, Techno?" He asked, and from the corner of his eye, Techno glanced at Phil. Then, he turned back to Wilbur with a slight smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, placing a hand over Wilbur's. 

"I'm fine, Wil, just tired is all. Couldn't sleep last night," he assured, and slowly, Wilbur removed his hand with a small nod.

Techno nodded at him, and quickly glanced at Tommy and Tubbo as he turned to head to his room. He rose a brow, "what are you staring at?" He asked, addressing Tommy who appeared uncharacteristically worried, but realizing this, he shook his head, and his more familiar expression returned to his face, furrowing his brows.

"Nothin'! Get back to bed you lazy bum!" Tommy exclaimed, he was starting to get his voice back already. Unlike before, he didn't flinch in fear of Techno retaliating. Which, surprisingly, despite his comment Techno didn't say a word, and he turned away. He kept walking in silence until he reached his room, and came to a stop.

"Don't let me sleep in too long," he said, rubbing his eyes, speaking to nobody in particular. 

Phil broke into a small smile and let out a light chuckle, nodding. "We won't."

When he followed his boys outside and they ran off without him, his smile collapsed and he almost did, too. Techno had gone to bed for as long as he needed to, his pained words repeated in Phil's mind as he walked around to the side of the house, where he had started growing a garden. 

_"They... they want blood... and they won't leave me alone... I'm scared, Dad, I'm scared."_

His legs gave in and he fell to the ground, sitting down with his head in his hands he took in a deep breath. His voice had been so shaky, he clung to Phil as he was on the verge of falling apart. A boy, he was no more than a boy, and Phil thought he'd done his job to protect him and his brothers, but problems were beginning to show up, cracks in the shield he placed around them that were growing larger, and he can't do anything about it. 

He doesn't understand how... he also has the voices, the souls. Maybe it's something that certain people get and it has nothing to do with him, or perhaps they're the same lost souls he used to have accompany him, and now, they've latched onto Techno. He told his poor boy, Techno, that the best thing he could do, if the only thing, was to simply ignore them. That's what he did if he can recall correctly, and eventually after he left his home town, they just... went away, and although there were moments where they'd briefly return, it'd been years and years since the last occurence. They weren't always demanding blood, sometimes they even made great company. They acted like his thoughts more or less, saying a bunch of different things during different situations, but sometimes they didn't quite make sense. They get happy, then sad, and everthing in between, it could get a bit much.

He can only hope for the best now, but he wants to do _more._ Alas, he could be there for his son, and listen to his troubles, comfort him the best he can, attempt to help... control the voices, the souls, slowly...

But he wants to do _more._

He attemped to distract himself by doing some simple gardening; not the crops he makes sure to check on and water regularly, but he decided to start planting some flowers. The sound of his children's laughter calmed him, and his thoughts quieted down so he could relax. It's okay, they can get through this, he'll be by Techno's side to support him and help him get through this rough, trying time as he always promises to. This is something they can overcome, he doesn't have to panic so much, it'll only worry the others. 

"What are you doing?" Tommy asked, appearing out of nowhere. It caught Phil off guard, making him jump and fall backwards, sitting in a crouched-down position.

Tommy stared at the planted sees with curious eyes, tilting his head. As if he didn't understand the concept, and Phil remembered the boy hadn't actually been around to see him tending to the crops, let alone planting them. This was an opportunity for a great learning experience, if his short attention span doesn't run out before he can explain. 

"I'm planting some seeds, Tommy," Phil explained, getting up, he patted down some dirt over a seed and sprinkled it with water. "They'll grow up into big, beautiful flowers. I just have to water them everyday, and make sure they get enough sunlight."

A pause, and a look of interest. Tommy's expression softened, and he sat down on the soft grass, making sure not to squash the small, hardly noticeable flowers beneath him. A small ladybug crawling across the ground momentarily distracted him, so small, harmless and fragile. He looked back to Phil, then at the dirt. "Can I help?"

Phil handed him a small bag of seeds, "of course." He ruffled Tommy's hair, and watched his face light up as Phil began teaching him how to plant a seed. He watched closely, carefully listening to every word as he dug a small hole in the dirt, dropped in a seed, covered it back up with dirt and lastly watered it a little. "It's as easy as that." 

Next, it was Tommy's turn. He made a little hole in the ground that might have been a little too big, but it was alright, and shoved his hand into the packet and pulled out a... few too many. 

"Uh, Tommy, you... only need one," he stopped him there, a couple of seeds escaping his hand. 

He blinked, then looked down at his hand, "oh." He dropped the majority of the seeds back into the bag, leaving one. As he dropped it into the hole, Phil couldn't help but notice how he refrained from using his injured arm, which he held close to his body. He wore long sleeves, and he still had bandages wrapped around his arm. A lot of it past his wrist got affected. 

He lost his balance a little, sitting crouched down he whispered "ow" as he accidentally moved his arm. He patted down the dirt, and reached out for the watering can.

"How's your arm doing, by the way?" Phil asked, making Tommy freeze. He'd tried to inspect it the other day, but for some reason, Tommy freaked out and wouldn't let him come near his arm. So, he chose to leave it for another day. It'd been three days since the incident, not too long, and there was a chance he still needed some more time to heal. That's alright; Phil's arms, on the other hand, the pain will eventually fade away but the scars will forever remain etched onto his skin. A time capsule, almost, to remind him of that dreadful day he could have avoided. 

"It... it still hurts, a little," Tommy admitted, watering the little seed hidden under the dirt. Soon, it'll start to grow, and will turn into a wonderful flower in their garden, although he isn't sure which kind it is. They'll find out soon enough, when it sprouts from the ground as a little sapling. 

"Do you want me to take a look at it?" Phil asked, glancing at Tommy, who stared silently at the watered patch of dirt. "It takes time to grow, Tommy, we can come back and check it tomorrow, and the next day, so you better make sure to water it." 

Tommy abruptly stood up, wiping the forming smile from Phil's face. That's when he noticed the bandages wrapped around his arm were loose, clearly having been undone earlier and re-wrapped poorly. Tommy began unwrapping the bandages slowly, and Phil's heart sank when they came off. 

It seems he wouldn't be the only one left with scars. He wanted to think it just needed more time, just a little longer and his skin will heal and it'll be like it never happened in the first place. However, it was far from disappearing. Even though he was in his human form, his right arm remained hard, molten rock. A bit of it looked almost above the skin, like an encasing he could just take off, but obviously couldn't. His arm had hardened into solid rock, permanently. 

"I... don't think it's going to get better," Tommy said just above a whisper, staring at his feet. 

Tommy is a brave boy, as he likes to believe. He keeps his head high, and likes to act more mature than he needs to be, in order to prove a point as the youngest. He acts tough, but he's still only a naive, young kid at eight years old. He has to understand that it's alright to get upset, and show his emotions. 

It's Phil's job to let him know that, and comfort him in times like this, but... the truth is, not even he knows what to do right now. He did what he first thought of and what always seems to work, hugging him. And it did it's job, Tommy buried his head in his shoulder, not having to say a word, but relax, and let it out. 

"It wasn't your fault," Phil told him.

Tommy sniffled, "i-it's not yours, either..."

Phil pulled away, and smiled at him, wiping away the tears forming in his son's eyes he patted his head and stood up. "Come on, I've got some more things to show you."

Phil led him to his crops; wheat, melons, beetroot, carrots, potatoes and pumpkin, along with some sweet berry bushes he made sure Tommy kept a safe distance from to avoid hurting himself on the thorns. There were a lot of things to take care of, but he'd been doing a great job at keeping them all healthy and as a result, received plenty of fresh food. Tommy was in awe at all the variety of crops, asking Phil why he hadn't brought him here earlier. 

He helped them plant new seeds after retrieving the final products, and unlike the flowers, these didn't require watering as they already had a fresh supply. 

Once they were done with that, they met up with Wilbur and Tubbo, requiring their assistance for something, though Phil wouldn't let them in on what it was. The three boys excitedly followed him, and it seemed that Techno was still asleep, but they should be able to do it on their own. 

Phil took them to the herd of sheep, and finally, explained what they would be doing for the rest of the day possibly; building a farmhouse for the sheep. As of now, they were only in a pen, and had no cover for when it rains, which had been happening quite frequently the past few days. 

They were all thrilled and immediately got to work, although Tommy worked a little slower than everybody else, only being able to use one hand. He tried using his other, and it was going alright for a short while, but the more he used it, the pain began to catch up to him. He had tried to hide it, laughing with his brothers as they talked about random topics, almost acting like Phil wasn't around anymore, and that was okay. 

"Friend, look! We're building you and your friends a home!" Wilbur greeted the blue sheep whom he named as it came closer to him. 

Tommy rolled his eyes and scoffed, while Tubbo giggled. "You can't talk to sheeps, idiot!" Tommy said, and not focusing on building, he applied too much pressure on his injured arm as he attempted to build with it. He'd been three blocks high, too, which Phil warned him to be careful about and he just brushed it off. Though, as he gripped his arm in pain, he leaned too far back. 

Phil witnessed it from the corner of his eye, the event playing out in slow-motion as his face shifted into one of distraught and he opened his mouth to yell, twisting his body and forcing himself to move as fast as he possibly could. 

"Tommy!"

"I've got you!" In the blink of an eye, Wilbur rushed to Tommy's rescue, catching him in his arms. "You should be more careful! You could have been seriously hurt!" He scolded, setting him down, but Tommy clung to him, his body frozen up. 

Phil dropped to his knees. If Wilbur had been even a second late, neither he or Phil would've gotten to him in time. His heart had stopped for a solid moment, his breath caught in his throat. 

"Dad...?"

Phil raised his head, a hand clutching his chest where his heart is, and met Wilbur's concerned look, and returned it with a visibly strained smile as he raised to his feet. "I'm fine, I'm fine. How about not giving your old man a heart attack again, okay Tommy?" He lightly joked, but Tommy didn't utter a word, nor make a sound. 

It took some time, but they were able to accomplish building the farmhouse before nightfall. They led all the sheep inside, although one suceeded in escaping to freedom, Friend happily followed Wilbur. There were a few more spaces in the building, too, which were intended for possible future "pets", and to which Tommy and Tubbo excitedly turned to each other and shouted; "more pets!!" In unison. 

By the time they were finished, it had started getting dark. Phil chose to check up on Techno, since by the looks of things he'd been asleep for almost the whole day. Before he could, he happened to catch Tommy balancing on a tree branch on the large oak tree they found Tubbo under. He proceeded to yell, at the top of his lungs to the whole world as Tubbo watched on; "I'm King of the trees, bitch!"

Phil was left mortified at his statement, his boys not noticing he was nearby until he shouted out in shock; "Tommy!! Where did you learn that language?!" 

Once he'd properly scolded Tommy and helped him down the tree ( unsure how he even got up there by himself with one arm ), he headed inside to see Techno. 

"Techno?" He searched through the whole house, but strangely enough, he and Wilbur were nowhere to be seen. He grew anxious as he looked for his boys, until he reached the other end of the house and found them playing out the front with their wooden swords. Of course, he should have known Wilbur would come to check up on his twin brother. 

He watched silently, leaning against a supporting beam as the two brothers played out a fight, laughing and grinning. Techno appeared to be in good shape, well-rested and raring to go, he decided he would leave them be.

He only left for a moment, a couple of minutes at most.

He returned to the tree to find Tommy and Tubbo asleep underneath it, even though it wasn't that late, and mere minutes earlier they were both full of energy and he feared they'd stay up late into the night. He chuckled, about to sit down beside them when....

"Dad!!"

The panic-striken, distraught voice stabbed him like a sword straight through the chest. He immediately bolted back towards where he'd been just moments ago, to Techno and Wilbur.

He stopped breathing when he arrived, his words getting caught in his throat and almost choking him. His mouth hung agape, eyes wide and full of terror as his body began to shake, and he fell to his knees at the horrific sight. This couldn't be real, it had to be a nightmare, and he'll wake up soon. He'll wake up, and this is all fake. 

"I-I didn't... the voices they, I lost control and... p-please, help him!!" 

Tears streamed down Techno's face as he sobbed, a bloodied wooden sword by his side, his hands covered in blood as he held Wilbur's limp, bleeding body that leaned into him. A growing bloodstain on the back of his brown jacket made Phil nauseous, the world around him beginning to spin, his surroundings becoming unclear and blurring out.

"I didn't mean to!!" 


	6. I'll be here to hold you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wilbur needs time to recover, and Techno struggles to control the voices in his head.
> 
> Song; I Hold You by CLAAN

He's trying to determine where it all went wrong. 

"Tommy! Grab me those bandages!" 

Because he generally cannot tell. All he wanted was a simple life with his adopted children whom he cared for like his own. He was determined to be the best possible Father he could be, he would risk his own life for their safety, he'd already given away a life of adventure, and the title of "hero" among villagers. He couldn't care less for them, however, he wouldn't even trade his children for the world; they were his, and he would do absolutely anything and everything to ensure their safety. They deserved long, fulfilling lives filled with happiness, and he promised himself he would give them exactly that. A life far from prying eyes that would tear them apart, he assumed that was for the best, he could find little downfalls. It was for their own safety, after all, villagers would only belittle them and declare them monsters, shunning Phil for treating them like normal human beings when they were in fact, not.

He did everything he was supposed to, he loved each and every one of them with all his heart. So, he's asking whoever's willing to listen right now, what did he do wrong? Genuinely, what had he done to deserve such a cruel punishment? Surely none of his children did anything wrong, they were only naive, innocent kids who already suffered enough. For three whole years they were fine, and yet, in the span of just a week, their happy life has fallen apart, but he's still doing anything he can to keep it together. 

As if the Gods defy him, and even if that's the case, he would stand against even them, the most powerful of beings, for his children's sake. 

"Come on, Wil, breathe! You're going to be okay! Keep your eyes open, stay awake, you're going to be okay!"

Maybe it's his loyalty to them that is being tested. To see just how much he can take, before he breaks. If he were to ever lose any of his sons, he would revert to an empty shell of himself, with a hole in his heart that could never be filled. 

"Dad...?" Wilbur blinked open his eyes, his vision blurry. It was clear for only a few seconds, and in that short span of time he could see his Father, Phil, above him an absolute mess, tears streaming down his cheeks, one falling onto Wilbur's face, and his hands were bloodied. He questioned where all the blood came from, or if it was just paint, but his thoughts were cut off by a sharp pain. 

From his laid down position and blurry vision, he could hardly make out anything. He rolled his head and to the right of him, leaning against the wall with his hands over his mouth and wide, teary eyes, he saw Tommy. To the left of him, he was a horrified Tubbo, tears rolling down his face. 

Wilbur opened his mouth to ask what was wrong, but no words came out. Techno was nowhere to be seen, and he began to worry. The corners of his vision began fading to black, and he felt lightheaded. "Tech...no..." he whispered, before everything reduced to pitch darkness, and his heavy eyelids closed. 

Phil wanted to scream. "Wil! Don't give in, keep breathing! I can't lose you, Wil! Keep fighting!" He begged, applying CPR to him, pumping his chest in an attempt to keep his heart beating. Over and over repeatedly, until his heart started beating again, and his chest slowly rised and fell with every barely noticeable breath. But he was breathing, he was still alive, he was holding on.

Phil collapsed to his knees, exhausted and drained. He's alive, and now... now, he doesn't have the faintest idea what he's supposed to do next. 

Wilbur's wound was stitched up. It'd been a wooden sword, he thought no harm would come out of some pretend fighting, he'd carelessly turned a blind eye and it led to this horrible tragedy. He was laid to rest in his bed, he was only sleeping. He'll wake up soon, but when he does eventually wake up, Phil isn't sure how that's going to play out. 

He held onto the wall for support as he left the bedroom, wanting to just collapse and rest for a while, but that wasn't an option. His children needed him, and no matter what, he promised to always be there for them, and now more than ever they need his support. 

Tubbo and Tommy had ran off somewhere together, probably huddled up in one of their rooms, trying to comfort each other. They shouldn't have to experience this at such a young age, they're only kids. He can try to comfort them, hold them close and tell them everything is going to be alright, but what else is supposed to say? He doesn't know how things are going to play out. He was left choosing who to approach first, who needed him more. 

Reluctantly he stopped at Techno's bedroom door. No sound came from inside. He slowly reached out for the doorknob, but paused. "Techno...?" He didn't receive an answer, not even a noise. He took in a deep breath, and grabbing the doorknob, he's relieved he didn't put on any locks. He cautiously pushed it open, and stepped into the pitch black room, the curtains pulled down blocking out the sunlight. 

He flicked on the light and found Techno sitting on his bed, curled up into a small ball, his room a complete mess with things thrown all over the place. "Techno..." Phil said softly, approaching his son. Who flinched at the sound of floorboards creaking, and his head shot up, face full of terror.

"Stay back!" He pleaded, and Phil immediately froze. His heart sank as he noticed Techno's eyes were red and puffy, he'd been crying, a lot, his voice was hoarse. "I-is... is Wil okay...?" He asked, sounding and appearing on the verge of tears again.

Phil tried to take a step closer as he opened his mouth, but Techno visibly tensed up, so he stopped. "He's... he's okay, he's asleep right now but he'll be fine," he said softly.

Techno's shoulders fell and his body relaxed, getting teary-eyed. He quickly wiped the tears away, but they kept on coming. He sniffled, mumbling something under his breath Phil didn't catch, and he foolishly attempted to approach him again, only for Techno to immediately notice and raise his head. "Get back!" He cried, "I don't want to hurt you!"

Phil slowed to a halt, only two or three steps away from Techno's bed. Too close, he took a step back, and that seemed to relax Techno a little, but he was still noticeably tense, and afraid. "You won't hurt me," Phil said, quietly.

"H-how do you know?" 

There was a few moments of silence, as Phil carefully thought over his next words. "What are they saying to you?" He asked, and Techno opened his mouth to respond, seeming surprised by his question, but nothing came out. He lowered his head, his long hair falling over his face. He mumbled the words, but Phil couldn't hear him. Before he could ask him to repeat himself, he did.

"They... I don't know, they're saying a lot of things and it's confusing..." he explained, then raised his head and stared at Phil, confused, and scared. "They, I think they recognize you." 

So he was right, after all. If he had just taken the time to discuss it with Techno earlier, help him understand, he could have stopped... this, from happening. But it's too late now, he can't change the past, only the future. He reluctantly took a step closer, and although Techno flinched and tensed up, he allowed Phil to take another, until he sat down on the bed beside him, but he didn't meet his gaze. 

"They're lost spirits," he said softly. "I'm assuming they're the same ones I used to have, though I don't know how they got to you..." he reached out his hand, but found himself hesitating. "It's... not your fault, okay? You were just overwhelmed. Wil is okay, and I'm sure he won't hold anything against you," he said, placing his hand on Techno's shoulder.

Techno had his head down, and Phil could hear him crying. He raised his head to look at him, tears rolling down his face. "I hurt him! I _stabbed_ him!" He wailed, and Phil flinched at his words. Techno buried himself in Phil's chest, sobbing into his chest he gripped at his shoulder with weak, shaky hands. 

Phil carefully embraced him, and held him close, pulling him into his lap he gently rocked back and forth. "You will get through this, you're strong Techno, the strongest boy I've ever known. You didn't mean it, Wil knows that, I'm sure of it. He'll wake up, and I'll help you control the spirits, okay? We can fix this," he cooed.

Techno's body trembled, "I just want them gone," he choked out, tightly gripping Phil's shirt. 

"I know," Phil says quietly, barely above a whisper. "I know." 

He isn't sure how long he spent coddling Techno until he soon calmed down, and ran out of tears. It might have been anywhere from thirty minutes, to an hour or so. If he didn't need to also check up on Tommy and Tubbo, he would have stayed for longer. But he couldn't be in two places at once, so, he headed to Tubbo's room. 

"Tubbo, Tommy...?" He entered the room, only to find it empty. Hanging on the walls were drawings Tubbo had done, and he took a closer look at one; taking it off the wall. His hands began to shake, there were five stick figures drawn outside on the grass, and he could easily tell who was who, there was him, "big brother Techno", "big brother Wilbur", and "Tommy" with two exclamation marks. Beside him was "me", and lastly... "dad? Phil". He drew a little question mark next to the word "dad".

Phil carefully hung the drawing back on the wall, clearing his throat he stepped back. He took one last look around the room before leaving, and entering Tommy's which was right next door, as Tommy had requested. The door was closed. 

"Tubbo, Tommy? Are you two alright...?" He asked quietly as he slowly opened the door and peered inside. They were indeed inside, but they were asleep holding each other sitting on the floor, leaning against the bed. 

His shoulders fell, a heavy weight lifted off his shoulders, he approached careful not to make a sound. But he stepped on and almost slipped on one of Tommy's block train toys, which drove into Tubbo's foot. He froze, but neither of them moved an inch, remaining fast asleep. 

He deeply sighed, and proceeded. Looking between them, their arms were wrapped around each other prospectively, they've grown so close in such a short time. Tommy acts like he genuinely believes Tubbo is his actual brother, and although he's egged Tubbo into doing the same, he's started referring to him, along with Wilbur and Techno as his brothers, too. 

Separating them was a difficult feat, he took Tommy first, and even though he was fast asleep, he subconsciously clinged to Tubbo, and Phil swore he even heard him mumble "no". But, he managed to pick him up without awakening either of them, and placed Tommy in his bed, tucking him in.

Next, he carried Tubbo out of the room, but as he reached the door, he stopped and looked back at the bee plush left on the floor. He had to go back for it, and he did, crouching down to quickly grab it as he held Tubbo in one arm. Luckily, he got it, and Tubbo remained asleep as he once again tried to leave the room, but Tommy did not.

"Dad...?" 

Phil froze in place, his throat going dry. He cleared his throat, looking over his shoulder at Tommy, who sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Yes, Tommy?" 

Tommy slipped out of his bed, taking one, two steps towards him, hands by his side, forming fists that opened and closed as he tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come out. "I... Wil, is Wil okay...?" He asked, speaking just above a whisper Phil could barely hear him, but even if he hadn't, he knew the question on his mind. 

While he was alone with Techno, what were he and Tubbo doing? Crying, telling each other it will be alright as they held each other close? They shouldn't be worrying about such things, where are their smiles? The colour has been drained from Tommy's eyes as he awaits an honest answer, but Phil's voice has gotten caught in his throat and he's trying to force it out while not knowing what to even say.

"He's... he's going to be okay, Tommy. He'll wake up soon," is all he could manage to say, his voice audibly breaking.

"Why... why would Techno do something like that? Why, why would he... hurt..." Tommy couldn't continue the rest, his eyes started filling with tears and Phil panicked. If he cries, he won't be able to stop and it'll wake up Tubbo. 

Carrying Tubbo in one arm, he hurried to Tommy's side, hushing him he went down on one knee and gently brushed his hair out of his face. He caressed his cheek, wiping away a tear that fell. "Tommy," he whispered, "Techno... didn't do that, he would never hurt Wil, you know that, right? He would never, he loves Wil, and you."

He wiped away his tears with his sleeve, and his faded red eyes pierced through him, his expression turning surprisingly frustrated, before melting into tears. "T-then who, did it?" 

He doesn't have an answer. If he were to tell the truth, Tommy might not even understand. So he didn't say a word, but instead wrapped an arm around Tommy, until he let everything out, screaming and hitting him as he cried and cried, until he exhausted himself and Phil laid him back to rest. He did the same with Tubbo, who surprisingly stayed asleep through Tommy's meltdown, and he was tucked into his bed. "Sleep tight," he whispered, brushing his hair out of his face.

When he tried to move away, Tubbo weakly gripped his sleeve, stopping him. Phil looked back at him, only to find him still asleep, taking slow breaths, he seemed so peaceful. 

"Don't... leave... Dad," he murmured, letting go of Phil he rolled on his side away from him.

Phil glanced down at the toy bee at his feet, and picking it up, placed it in front of Tubbo and he instantly found it, and held it close. 

Phil left after a few seconds, making sure that he wouldn't wake up. He walked down the empty, silent halls, through the kitchen, to his study where he collapsed onto his chair, head in his hands and took in a deep breath and exhaled shakily. His tough, fatherly facade faded away, revealing him as a mess on the verge of breaking down. His strength truly was being tested that day, and he's not sure how much more he can take. He has to continue to push through it, though, no matter what, he has to be by his children and protect them until he no longer can, but even then, he will defy all odds and fight whatever stands between them with his lingering strength. 

His eyes shifted to the unopened letter on his desk, it'd been there ever since it arrived, and he hadn't touched it since. He extended out a hand, but just as his fingertips brushed against the seal, he pulled away and shook his head. He opened a draw and placed the letter inside, hesitating for a moment before doing so, and as soon as he closed it, he let out a heavy sigh and ran his fingers through his dishelved hair. He needed a good night's sleep, but he doubted he would receive it anytime soon. 

Despite such, he carelessly fell asleep at his desk. As a child he would dream of the sky and the stars, and how he would follow them across the world. Now, he dreamt of his children in a happier light than reality, the five of them running around in the lush meadows, climbing up a grassy hill as the harsh wind blew, and once reaching the top, they collapsed and relished in the nature, grass caught between their fingers as the wind turned into a gentle breeze. 

Phil rolled to his side, and his smile fell. Wilbur was laying on his back beside him, reaching his hand out to touch the sky. Then, he met his gaze and grinned, so precious, so innocent. But suddenly, it wasn't a pleasant dream anymore.

"Dad?"

Phil shot up and his chair toppled backwards, almost bringing him down with it. He stood up abruptly, mumbling to himself as he rubbed his forehead. Then, he opened his eyes and when he turned around, his heart stopped. There stood Wilbur, at the door peeking through, he slowly pushed the door further open. "Dad...?"

What time is it? He thought Wilbur would be asleep for hours, likely wouldn't wake up until the next day. He needed plenty of time to rest, and yet he was already up and awake, leaving the safety of his bedroom to find him, and why? Why did he come here? 

"Wil, you... what are you doing awake? You, you should be back in bed," Phil said, blinking and shaking his head before taking a few steps towards him. Was he in pain, is that why he woke up? But he appears fine, although a little pale, he's showing no signs of pain, staring at Phil a little confused if anything. 

"What happened, Dad? I... how did I..." Wilbur trailed off, looking down at his stomach area. He doesn't remember. 

Is that a good, or bad thing? He doesn't know. 

Staring out the window, he must have been asleep for a few hours, it was already dark. He turned back to Wilbur, going down on one knee he placed a hand on his shoulder. "You..." he trailed off, trying to find the right words to say. "You, don't need to know... it's better if you forget," he gave a small, pained smile. 

Wilbur opened his mouth to speak, but his face shifted into confusion and he looked away with a small pout on his lips, and brows furrowed. He doesn't need to know, it's better if they... don't tell him, then they can move on from this, right? 

His smile became a little less strained. "Come on, kiddo, you need to rest just a little longer, alright? Everyone else is asleep," he says, standing up. Although he can't be certain on that. 

"I'm sure Techno's awake, though, I heard him inside his room. I couldn't tell what he was saying, his door was closed."

It's late, around eleven pm is he had to guess, maybe even later, and yet Techno is still awake and he's the type to fall asleep at eight the latest. He... should check up on him again. 

"I see, well... I'll go check on him, but you have to go to bed, alright? I mean it, it's late, anyways," Phil said, a hand on his back he led him to the door. Wilbur went along willingly, but stopped at the door, and looked up at Phil.

"Is Techno okay?" He asked, concern lacing his voice.

Phil was about to answer, but stopped himself before he could expose the truth. For a few seconds silence stretched out, and he shouldn't be taking this long to reply. He tells himself they can fix this, make it all right again, but... he's doubting himself. 

He put on a smile that hid his fears like a mask, as he gently pushed Wilbur out the door and kept going. "Yeah," he whispers, voice almost breaking, almost. "He just... got scared, for you, afraid he was gonna lose you, we all were." He didn't dare glance at him, staring straight ahead as he knew Wilbur was still staring at him. 

"I'm okay, though, can I go show him that I'm alright now?" He asked, pleadingly. 

Phil's throat went dry, and he let out a short chuckle that didn't sound natural. "Tomorrow, Wilbur, you can see him tomorrow. But now... you have to rest," he replies, in the back of his mind asking him not to press further, to just accept it. 

He can see that he wanted to argue, but instead he lowered his head and quietly mumbled "okay", as the two of them neared Techno's room. They passed it without saying a word, and the light inside came through the gap under the door, but no sound or noise could be heard. They continued until they reached Wilbur's room, and as Wilbur stepped inside, Phil paused, and glanced back at Techno's room. 

He tore his eyes away after a few moments, entering the room. Wilbur climbed into his bed, moving carefully as not to cause himself pain, he could accidentally undo his stitches. As he laid down, he clearly experienced discomfort, mumbling "ow" under his breath, he slid under the covers. 

Phil stood by the door, smiling sadly. "Goodnight, Wil." 

"Goodnight, Dad," he tossed and turned a bit, before laying on his side and closing his eyes. "I love you."

"I... love you too, so much." He flicked off the light, encasing the room in darkness and quietly walked away. He soon found himself in front of Techno's room, but the light was out. 

"Techno? You awake?" He asked, opening the door he peeked inside, and flicked on the light. He saw Techno in his bed, his back facing him, not making a sound. He appeared asleep, but he couldn't be sure. "I... just want you to know Wilbur woke up, and he doesn't remember... what happened. He's doing okay, I just sent him back to bed, and..." 

Techno didn't respond, nor did he move at all. 

"I'll... see you in the morning, son," so, Phil turned off the light and took his leave, retreating to his own bedroom to rest for the night, if that was even an option. He was so exhausted and drained, yet his body refused to sleep and give him relief, as he stared up at the blank ceiling in the dark. Everything will be okay, he'll make sure of it.

Minutes after he had left Techno's room, someone else stood by the door. "Techno...? Are you awake?" 

Techno rolled over, switching on a lamp at his bedside table. "Tommy? What... what are you doing, what do you want?" He asked, sitting up he rubbed his eyes.

Tommy stepped away from the door, wanting to speak but couldn't get the words out, he played with his hair nervously as he stared down at his feet. "I, I can't sleep and Tubbo's still asleep, so..." he murmured, and before he could finish, Techno let out a heavy sigh and pulled back his covers. 

"Fine, get in, but don't kick me in your sleep or you're sleeping on the floor," he grumbled. "On second thought─"

Before he could take back his offer, Tommy jumped into his bed with almost no hesitation, and curled into a small ball. 

After a few moments of silence, Techno laid back down, pulling the covers over them and shuffled back so they weren't so close. "I'm only letting you do this once," he mumbled, but received no response. He huffed, and rolled onto his other side so their backs faced each other, and he shifted to get comfortable before closing his eyes.

"Goodnight, Techno..."

He paused, thinking it over in his head before the words slipped out. "Goodnight, Tommy."


	7. The shattered surface, so imperfect, is all that you believe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil shares a deep, necessary conversation with Techno.
> 
> Song; You Are the Moon by The Hush Sound

Phil has always been a morning person, waking up just as the sun rises and the new day begins. He hates waking up late, especially when his children are already up, and he can't stop them from doing anything silly or dangerous. Which, for Tommy specifically, is a very likely thing to occur. So when he finally woke up, and discovered the time was one in the morning, pm, he almost had a heart attack. His children were definitely awake by now, and who knows what they could have gotten up to, it's a miracle the house hasn't caught on fire. 

Without wasting time he hurried out of bed and down the stairs, his thoughts racing too fast for his mind to register the pain in his arms. "Kids!" He called out, but to his surprise and uttermost relief when he came down the stairs and made it to the kitchen, he saw no giant mess that had to be cleaned up, nor Techno chasing Tommy around the house, but instead, he found Techno setting the table as Tommy and Tubbo helped Wilbur walk. He had a slight limp, and winced in pain, muttering under his breath.

At the sound of his voice, they all immediately froze and spun their heads in his direction. He looked between them, his heart accelerating in his chest slowly returned to a normal pace as he made his way down the stairs. "Nevermind..." he said softly, but their eyes lingered on him as he came closer, and stopped beside Techno. He looked over the table, decorated with empty plates and napkins. He's lucky he had came down when he did, before they attempted cooking. "What are you doing?" He asked.

The kids exchanged looks, as if questioning whether they should tell him. He patiently awaited an answer, hoping they wouldn't try to hide anything from him. 

"Nothing," Techno spoke up, speaking bluntly. "It's nothing," he said, looking down at the table he had just set up. 

Phil opened his mouth to speak, but closed it before a word could get out. He moved his hand behind Techno's back, and when the boy looked up at him, he smiled. "Hey, I can help you cook something if you'd like," he offered, looking over everyone. "But, let me do most of the cooking," his smile turned sheepish as he scratched the back of his head and closed his eyes. 

Tommy and Tubbo exchanged puzzled looks, and Tommy shrugged his shoulders. He then looked to Phil, "actually," but he didn't get the opportunity to continue. 

When Phil opened his eyes, they landed on Wilbur, who was visibly weak and sickly pale, he could barely stand on his own. "Hey, how are you feeling, Wil?" He asked quietly, his smile disapearing as his expression was replaced with worry. He approached Wilbur, causing Tommy and Tubbo to carefully move away, allowing him to stand on his own, and he struggled a little. He swayed, but then had to hold onto the table for support, still, he mustered a smile. 

"I-I'm feeling alright," he answered, slowly sitting down on a chair, but Phil heard him whisper to himself as a tinge of pain struck. He tried hard to hide it, managing a gentle smile, but not even his siblings fell for it. It physically pained Phil to see him like this, watching as his son tried to pretend nothing was wrong, kicking his feet under the table, and attempting to start a conversation with his siblings, but they all hesitated to respond in the same cheery manner.

"So, um, what's for breakfast?" He's trying so hard, but it isn't working. 

He placed a hand on Wilbur's shoulder, "Wil," and that's all he had to say. He stared right into his pleading eyes, and the boy fell apart under his gaze. Lowering his head, his smile wiped from his face, he carefully stood up as not to hurt himself, and stepped back. 

There were a few moments of silence before he spoke, a deep frown on his lips as he weakly gripped his arm, shoulders raised. "I feel fine, really," he answered quietly, just above a whisper, and Phil hesitated. He almost forgot that the others were still present, watching, their breaths caught in their throats as they refused to blink. 

"Even if you... do feel fine, it's best if you rest for a little longer, give your body time to heal," Phil said, almost beggingly. Wilbur continued to look away, turning his body. "Please," Phil said just above a whisper, and Wilbur realized he couldn't fight him. So he didn't resist, and gave in. Though, he clearly wasn't happy with the decision he was left with. 

"Fine," he whispered, and with that, he turned away, and didn't say another word as he made his way to his bedroom, dragging his feet. He wrapped his arms himself, and mumbled something that Phil didn't catch. But as he continued, he would flinch a few times and start to limp a little, to his noticeable frustration. 

Phil let out a shaky sigh as he turned away, rubbing his arm. "I..." he cut himself off as Tommy hurried past him, bumping into him, and went after Wilbur. Tubbo hesitated before doing the same, following after him with neither of them speaking a word and soon enough, they were each out of his sight. Phil could somewhat hear their mumbled conversation, but chose not to listen in or join them.

Instead, he turned to Techno, who awkwardly stood there and began cleaning up the table, as it turns out they weren't going to have a nice family breakfast together. "Techno," the boy jumped out of skin at the soft call of his name, and the plates carelessly slipped out of his hands and hit the floor, but thankfully they were wooden. He didn't attempt to pick them up, he just stood there, frozen in place. 

Phil reached out his hand, and paused, before placing his hand on Techno's shoulder, and again he jumped. "Techno?" He said, and the boy looked up at him, and he couldn't begin to imagine the thoughts running through his head, the voices, the spirits. "We... need to talk." 

The two of them went outside, although Phil wasn't sure on leaving Tommy and Tubbo with Wilbur inside, he ended up doing so. They were only outside, sitting underneath the large, old oak tree they'd found Tubbo under, the one with handprints engraved into it's body and the origins of them are unknown. His kids can just call for him if they need him, they'll be fine alone. 

It was a nice day, not too many clouds, it was the perfect mix between hot and cold, a cool, gentle breeze blowing through. It was rather peaceful, if it weren't for the heavy thoughts on their consciousness, neither of them really wanted to discuss... what happened, both wanted to simply forget it ever happened, but that would be impossible. They could hide it from Wilbur, but they won't be able to lie to themselves, they all know what happened, what could have been prevented... 

He can't imagine what Techno is going through, although he had gone through similar, it'd never been... like this. There were voices in his head, yes, spirits that attached themselves to him for some reason in the past, and while they could get a little out of control sometimes, he never actually hurt anyone. He managed to keep them under control until they eventually just left, and he never expected to stumble across them again. Especially not under these circumstances. 

They can't change the past, but they can mold the future into something better, and prevent this from happening again. 

He wrapped his arm around Techno, and pulled him closer. "It's not your fault," he told him, and usually Techno is rather stone-faced, asides from cracking jokes. He's never emotional, but anyone would easily crack like glass under these circumstances. A boy needs his Father, he's still only a child, whether he thinks of himself as one or not. 

Techno leaned into his touch, resting against him as the breeze took off a few leaves from the tree that floated down above their heads. "We'll figure this out, alright?" He assured, and Techno didn't respond. He thought over his next words carefully as he took in their lush surroundings, a bright sun shining down on them and iluminating the area. When he tried to speak again, Techno cut him off.

"You said... you said that you used to have the same problem, they followed you around too," he began, and looked up at him, and before he said another word Phil knew exactly what he would say. "How do I get rid of them?" 

The question pulled at his heartstrings, and he attempted to swallow his nervousness and answer all his questions with confidence and honesty, but luck didn't grant him such ability. He was afraid to continue, and tell him the truth that he wasn't going to like, and he'll try to reject it, only pushing himself deeper into a dark hole he won't be able to escape from at this rate. He had to think over his next words, but he didn't have much time on his side, as Techno's eyes started to burn through him unintentionally. 

"I... I'm sorry, Techno, but I don't know how," he finally replied, his voice strained as he forced the words out. He immediately saw the fear reflected in his eyes, but he didn't allow him to speak. "But it'll be okay, I can teach you to control them, ignore them, they aren't all that bad," he reassured, resting his hand on top of his head. Though, as he predicted, the horrid truth got trapped in his mind, whereas the kind, supportive words phased straight through. "Hey, look at me." 

Reluctantly, Techno raised his head, and Phil's heart skipped a beat at the grief-striken look on his face that tore him apart from the inside. "It's going to be okay, I promise you," he murmured, bringing Techno closer into his embrace. There, they sat in silence for the next few moments, only listening to each other's heart beats and breaths almost in sync, finally a short gap in time for them to relax, take a breather and pick up the scattered pieces of themselves as they fall apart. 

A simple, happy life is all Phil desired, and it's what he'll get, no matter the cost and how much effort it requires, he'll give his heart in soul in order to make it become a reality; and give these children a place that ensures their safety. That is his sworn duty as their trusted Father, and they depend on him to do so, to keep them safe as he continuously promises to do so.

It felt like time had stopped, just for them, but it didn't last for long. He would've liked for it to go on for just a little longer, and they could forget the changing world around them. Things were finally catching up to them, all the years they spent in peace, were now crumbling apart. But for a little longer, he wants it to go on.

But perhaps Techno didn't want the same, he was the first to pull away. And the following words; "you... never told me about your past," were the last thing he expected to hear from his mouth. 

He genuinely hadn't talked much about his past, maybe a few hints of information scattered then and there, but he didn't see it necessary to discuss. He saw no point in lingering in the past, specifically his, and talking about it proudly with his children who were only curious, expecting to hear of grand adventures and dangerous explorations over the years. And while there were a few exciting stories he could pull up, describe it like one of the books he reads to Tommy and Tubbo, and pretend it's only that, a fantasy story. 

"I... well, you never asked," he cracked a sheepish smile, scratching his cheek. 

"Can... I ask?" 

His smile drooped, and he paused. He considered it briefly, before leaning back against the tree, and shuffled down so his back touched the grass, and he watched the clouds float by. It's an odd thing to think about the world spinning so quickly you can't even process it, yet time seems to move so slowly. "I... suppose so," he mumbled, then turned his head to look at Techno. "What would you like to know?" 

He was quick to respond, only for nothing to come out. He had to take a few seconds to come up with a question, and Phil almost chuckled at that. "Uhm, everything? I remember we used to travel when you first found Wil and I, before Tommy came along and you built a house," he started, falling silent for a brief moment. "How long were you travelling before then?" Was his final question. 

A simple, easy one, better than what else he could have come up with. It isn't a deep, personal question, so he shouldn't have any difficulty in answering him whole-heartedly. He has nothing to hide, just... parts that weren't that interesting, chapters you could skip over in a story book. "For some time... yes."

"For how long?" 

How long? He's only twenty-five, and strangely sometimes he feels a few years younger, or more than a handful of years older. The passage of time is a peculiar thing to think about, he'd only built their house three years ago, and yet it feels like it's been there for so much longer. He didn't encounter everyone while they were only little kids, he didn't watch them grow into the people they are now, at least not as much as it seems like, and it's funny how easily that slips his mind. 

"I was... around seventeen when I first started my journey," he recalled. 

Techno's eyes widened, visibly intrigued as he shifted his body around to face him. "And how old are you now? Fourty?" 

Phil sat up and choked on his own saliva, getting a harsh coughing fit that startled Techno. "F-fourty?! No, I'm only twenty-five! Do I really look that old?" He exclaimed between breaths and coughs, and despite the poor condition he was in, Techno couldn't help but find it humoring, snorting and laughing. 

"S-sorry," he apologized with one last small laugh, then helped by patting him on the back until he stopped, and took in a long, deep inhale. He then counted his fingers, muttering numbers under his breath, "so, twenty-five... and how long ago did you build the house?" he asked, and Phil hummed.

"Three years."

"So you've been traveling for five years?" He asked, and Phil let out a short, slightly strained chuckle. 

Five years. It'd been eight years since he returned to his home town, saw his old friends who likely don't even remember his face, they probably wouldn't recognize him. He's changed so much over the past eight years, and they must have, too. He knew it'd been a while, but hearing those words made it all dawn on him, just how much time had truly passed him by. 

He'd had multiple travelling companions who all eventually went their separate ways, half of them chose to settle down and never once did he consider doing the same. A life of adventure and freedom is all he seeked, a family would tie him down, restrain him. Whenever he saw birds flying above his head in the skies, ever since he was young, he dreamed of following them to freedom. He couldn't fly, but he would find another way to find the adventure that he seeked. 

But, now he is, a changed man. He stared at the birds in the sky, they were free, and he had already had his fair share of freedom. He could say it was fun while it lasted, and he gained fond memories as he met new people, and goodbyes weren't all too bad. Even if they would never meet again. 

He sighed, standing up he extended out his hand and without needing to say a word, Techno grabbed on and was pulled up. He turned on his heel, and gestured for Techno to follow, and he did exactly that as they made their way to the garden and crops. "What are the voices saying now?" 

"T-the what?"

They stopped at their destination, and there was some noticeable growth to the flowers he'd planted, though Tommy's was lacking a bit behind. Perhaps it hasn't gotten enough water. "The voices," he repeated, "or, spirits, what are they saying to you?" 

Techno stood in place as Phil walked a short distance to refill the watering can, and when he returned, he handed it to him. He hesitated before taking it, and held it like he wasn't sure what to do with it. "They're not saying... much, they're calm now," he responded, "I... think they like gardening." 

Phil hummed, "why don't you give it a try?" 

Techno looked at him, then back at the flowers. He tipped the watering can forward a little, allowing a small amount of water to spill out and water the flowers. 

"Not too much," Phil instructed, and Techno pulled back, before pouring a little more on Tommy's flower. "Good. See, it's easy," Phil said, and led him over to the crops. He quickly collected those that were fully grown, such as wheat, pumpkins, and potatoes. When he stepped back, he let Techno water them as well, and he seemed to be enjoying it, that glimmer in his eyes giving it away whilst his expression remained blank. 

"I like gardening," he admitted, and although this was his first time, he already had the hang of it. Then again, simply watering the crops wasn't that troublesome, nor was planting them, but the more you do, the more exhausting it gets. "Can... I do it more often?" He asked, turning to Phil with his wide, curious eyes that brought a smile back to his face, and he couldn't resist. 

He nodded, "of course, if that's what you want." And he saw Techno resisting a smile threatening to come through, as he looked away. Phil couldn't resist ruffling up his hair, it was growing down to his shoulders now. 

He wanted to take him to the farmhouse, so they could feed the sheep with the wheat they'd just gathered, but he wondered what the other kids were doing. Hidden somewhere within the house without his supervision made him somewhat anxious, although they should be fine on their own, Tommy is still incredibly reckless even after the incident, and Wilbur is still healing, if he moves too abruptly he could accidentally open his stitches, and that'd cause a lot of problems. 

He couldn't allow anything to happen again when he's not paying attention. "Techno, would you mind calling out to your brothers?" He requested, but the look he received confused him. He appeared almost fearful, and it didn't take long for him to figure out why. "Techno... Wil doesn't remember what happened," he assured, and when he tried reaching out to Techno, he slightly backed away. 

His head lowered, he refused to meet his gaze. "I... want you to tell him," he mumbled, yet Phil heard every word clearly, though he swore he misheard. He must have said something else, surely, but as his thoughts began to run wild Techno spoke up again, confirming his fears. "Please, I... it's wrong to hide it from him." 

He was fully prepared to keep it a secret, believing that it would be for the best. Wilbur knowing would only cause more problems, they have no way of telling how he'll react. Even though they've been together since the beginning and are so close, he can't imagine how Wilbur will deal with this. 

"Are... are you sure?" He asked, struggling to keep his voice calm. Techno raised his head and looked him in the eyes, and his heart stopped. "You don't have to, he doesn't have to know." 

As soon as those words came out of his mouth, he knew what he would hear. "Yes, he does!" Techno raised his voice, anger, frustration to be heard. His eyes were fierce, hands balled into tight fists and a nasty glare on his face, but behind all that he was terrified. It quickly all went away, and he lowered his head as tears formed in the corners of his eyes. "Yes, he does, he deserves to know." 

He can't be sure anymore, he only wants to do what's best for his children, but... "alright, if that's what you want," he forced the words out, voice just loud enough to be heard. 

Techno kept his gaze to the ground, and nodded his head. Then, he was pulled into a short hug, a chance for him to calm himself, but it didn't last forever. Phil pulled away, and headed back to the house, leaving Techno to stand alone. 

As he neared the house, he could hear his heart beat echoing in his ears, growing louder with each couple of steps. He climbed up onto the front porch, and he froze. The sound of his heart stopped, and his words got lodged in his throat. His hand gripped the wooden railing and his knuckles turned white, as he quickly thought over his decision. Then, with a shaky breath; "Tommy, Tubbo, Wilbur, do you mind coming outside?" He managed to keep his voice normal, not even the smallest hint of his hidden emotions detected. 

He glanced over his shoulder and saw that Techno had caught up, slowly making his way towards him with his head down, shoulders raised, nervously fumbling with his hands. He came to a halt, and enhaled a sharp breath, his whole body tensing up.

Phil didn't think twice, let alone once before running to his side, and throwing him into another hug that caught him off guard. "It's okay," he assured, brushing his hair. "You're not ready, you can tell him when you're ready, or it's just going to make things worse." 

Techno's quick, short breathing stopped, and he calmed down, his body relaxing in his hold. He isn't ready, perhaps Wilbur does deserve to know and keeping it a secret will only do more harm than good, but right now isn't the proper time. He slowly pulled away, and turned his head at the sound of nearing footsteps, and then, all three of his boys came hurrying out the front door. As if he'd called them for an emergency. 

"Dad, is everything alright?" Wilbur asked in a concerned tone, and Phil's hoping he hadn't just ran all the way there. Tommy and Tubbo are stood behind him, peeking out on each side of him. 

If he could control time, he would do so many things, give himself more time to think for starters. But unfortunately, he's only human, and he has to live with what he's given. "Everything's fine, I just wanted you guys out here so I could keep an eye on you, that alright?" He explained with a warm smile, and they believed him. 

Wilbur came down the steps with a bit of Tubbo's and Tommy's assistance, though he quietly told both of them he was alright, and they insisted. He stopped at the bottom of the steps, and sat down. "I can just stay down here, is that okay?" He asked.

Phil nodded, releasing a sigh. "Yeah, that's alright. Tommy, Tubbo, just stay around this area, alright? Or you could come help me and Techno feed the sheep," he responded. The boy's faces immediately lit up with excitement and nodded their heads, wasting no time in running over. But before both of them could reach him, Tommy skidded to a halt, and looked back at Wilbur sitting by his lonesome. 

"On second thought, I'll stay with Wilbur!" He called out, already making his way back to his brother, and sat down beside him. Despite how he was looking forward to joining them, he made his choice. 

Tubbo seemed rather disappointed with his decision, they were hardly ever apart, after all. Torn between feeding the sheep and staying behind, Phil had a solution. 

"Hey, look, Friend!!" All five of them went to the farmhouse to visit, and feed the sheep. Because Wilbur still needed to heal and he had to be precautious of his movements, Phil carried him on his back. He argued a little at first, saying that he was fine to walk on his own and he was too old to ride on his back, but he soon ended up giving in, and when he found Friend amongst the other sheep, his mood instantly lifted. 

They fed the sheep, and discussed what other animals they would try to find next. Cows, probably not pigs considering Wilbur and Techno being piglins, even if they were mostly in their human forms. Tommy wanted to get a dog, which wouldn't be the easiest, but at least he didn't still want a moth out of all things, and Tubbo simply enjoyed the company of the bees. 

After leaving the farmhouse, Wilbur sat back down on the steps, accompanied by Tubbo, whilst Phil chopped down some trees with Techno's help, mostly just picking up the logs, and Tommy desperately wanted to be a part of it. However when he swung the axe, it got stuck in the tree, and they struggled to get it out, even Phil. Tommy actually used both hands, and when Phil pointed it out, the boy noticed how he didn't have as much pain in his arm anymore, practically none. He got thrilled at this, raising his fist to the air and letting out a "battle cry" is all it could be described at, before running back to Tubbo and tripping over on the way there for everyone to see, landing on his face. 

They were able to cut down a few trees, of course replanting them afterwards. They all asked Phil what he planned on doing with all the wood, but he wouldn't let anyone in on his "little secret", which they would all find out eventually, but they demanded to know now. Tubbo and Tommy both clung onto him, Tommy climbing up him like some kind of wild monkey, as Tubbo just hugged his leg and Techno tried to pry him off. They ended up not getting a single hint. 

Cutting down trees, even with some help from Techno, was exhausting. Phil wiped the bead of sweat from his forehead, dropping his axe, and laid down under the willow tree. The sunlight shined in through the gaps between the leaves, and a cool breeze washed over him as he relaxed, and closed his eyes only for a second. Or, so he thought it'd been, only to find everyone else asleep, resting beside and on top of him when he opened his eyes. 

The day hadn't ended yet, there were still a few more hours to go before it started getting late. He couldn't feel his legs, with Tommy and Tubbo lying and leaning against them, and Techno and Wilbur weren't exactly helping, resting against his arms that were also going numb. He attempted to move, but as soon as he did, Wilbur shifted in his sleeping state and Phil froze. They appeared so peaceful in their sleep, he didn't dare move again. 

Settling back into a comfortable position, he closed his eyes. 

They can do this, he can do this.

It's going to be okay. 

_It's all going to be okay._


	8. Shadows of the mess you made

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life can be difficult at times, but like happiness, sadness is temporary and they balance each other perfectly. 
> 
> Song; Mykonos by Fleet Foxes

A couple of days had passed since the incident Wilbur couldn't recall, but it hardly left anyone else's mind. The days had gone by smoothly, things were alright again and there were no more problems. However, a noticeable distance had formed between his children, Techno's and Tommy's brotherly relationship became strained. They hadn't exactly talked about what happened, and more specifically how or why. 

Tubbo quickly warmed up to Techno again, to Tommy's obvious annoyance, and he would never be alone with Techno, or allow anyone to be, especially Wilbur. Who became oblivious to the whole situation unfolding, they didn't want him to remember something better left forgotten. At first, Techno attempted to explain things to Tommy when it was just the two of them, he really did, speaking calmly and just wanting to talk, but unfortunately, Tommy wasn't having any of it and Phil overheard their "conversation" before Wilbur could walk in. 

He quickly separated them, and lightly scolded both of them. Tommy had tears in his eyes and pushed Phil away, running off and reconciling with Tubbo whom he found comfort in. Even when Tommy wasn't budding in, Techno hesitated to look Wilbur in the eyes and clearly acted different around him, even when they weren't alone; more nervous, afraid there'd be another slip-up. 

Phil had been doing his best to help him work around these "voices" in his head, or wandering, lost spirits. He had yet to find a way to rid him of them, unfortunately, but luckily they weren't always in a mood for bloodlust. There hadn't been too many instances of that since... the incident, they'd since calmed down and Techno would tell him when asked what they were saying. Either, they used to be people that became spirits through death, or they were... something else. He'd heard old tales of the forest surrounding their home being "cursed", after all, but he never believed in it. 

Following Phil's unconditional love towards his children, both Techno and Wilbur had caught him asleep at his study a few times. He'd been staying up late recently and they couldn't figure out why, what was he working so hard on that required so much effort? And, no matter how exhausted he'd be in the morning, he'd do his best to keep up with their energy and keep them from running into more trouble. He cared for them deeply and they didn't have many opportunities to show him the same gratitude. 

Until today, that is, as an idea arose. An idea that had Wilbur waking Techno up at exactly seven am sharp, before Phil. It startled him, to say the least, to see him instead of Tommy or Tubbo who he wouldn't be as cautious around. It was only a matter of time before he realizes his change in attitude and ask about it, and then he'd be doomed. Yet at the same time, Techno couldn't bring himself to brush off his twin brother, and he could rarely come up with excuses not to be by his side. There weren't too many things to do around the house, after all. 

"Techno, get up, I need your help with something!" Wilbur whispered, whilst Techno was still recovering from shock of waking up to see his brother's face. He flopped back onto the bed, deciding he did not want to deal with this today and rolled to his side, so his back faced him. 

"It's too early," he mumbled, "wake me up in, three more hours." He pulled the blanket over him and wrapped himself into a tight cocoon, but Wilbur was persistent. He jumped onto his bed and stepped over him, almost standing on him. "What, are you doing?" Techno hissed, raising his head to squint his eyes at his brother, only to be blinded by the sunlight as Wilbur pulled open the blinds. "Hey! Stop that!" Disliking the blinding light, he scrambled to sit up and close them, but forgot Wilbur was standing on his bed. 

He had been taking it easy the past few days, staying inside for the most part and reading books to pass time. He still needed time for his wound to heal, it was still sore and could get worse due to him being careless. Which thankfully wasn't in his nature, nor was it for Techno, or at least not usually. "Oh, crap!" 

Wilbur easily lost his balance, but fell forward on top of Techno rather than backwards and straight off the bed. "Get off!" He still received a pillow to the face, which didn't do too much damage. Unfortunately for Techno, he had two pillows, and so Wilbur grabbed the other one and threw it at his face, granting him time to jump off the bed instead of carefully slipping off. As he should have seen coming, when he landed on his feet a surge of pain shot through his abdomen and he winced, applying pressure to his wound. Though, he quickly straightened his posture and acted fine when Techno looked his way, and glared, prepared to throw another pillow. 

Wilbur didn't seem threatened, though, rolling his eyes he tugged at Techno's blanket and pulled his bed covers right off. "Come on, you grump! We're making Dad a cake, because he deserves one and I said so," he insisted, clearly not taking no as an answer. 

Techno groaned, rubbing his face. "What, is it Dad's birthday or something?" He mumbled tiredly, and slid off his bed. He looked at Wilbur and squinted his eyes, "do you even know how to bake? Let alone, do you even know what we need to make a cake?" He asked, and Wilbur looked away sheepishly, chuckling. Techno sighed, rubbing his eyes. 

"Of course I know what we need! Dad's baked us plenty of cakes before, and I even helped him a few times!" Wilbur argued, crossing his arms. Then, he grabbed Techno's arm and pulled him to his feet. "We need wheat, milk, eggs, butter, and, uh..." it'd been a while since they last baked a cake, which had been for Tommy's eighth birthday, even though they can't be sure exactly how old he is. 

Techno stretched, and yawned. "Sugar, and flour, I think that's it," he replied, moving his hair out of his face. Wilbur went over the ingredients, counting on his fingers as he mouthed the words and nodded. "Dad should have a few left-over ingredients from Tommy's cake," Techno said, and narrowed his eyes at Wilbur's puppy-dog eyes. 

He groaned, running his hand through his hair. "Fine, fine, I'll help. We need to see what ingredients we have first," he gave in, and he'd never seen Wilbur run so fast. "Hey! Be careful, don't hurt yourself you idiot!" He called out, peering his head out the door he watched Wilbur bolt down the hall and instead of heading straight to the kitchen around the corner, he went into Tubbo's room. Oh, right... he's going to have Tubbo and Tommy help out, too. Great. 

Sighing, Techno tucked his head back in and closed his door. He leaned against it and delved into his thoughts, Wilbur looked so happy, how couldn't he say yes? Even if it is seven am and Tommy will be joining them. Hopefully they can find all the necessary ingredients in the cupboard, and they can get this over and done with before Phil wakes up. And hopefully, not to a huge mess or the house being on fire. 

He got dressed and stepped out, closing the door behind him he heard another soft thud nearby. He turned his head and locked eyes with Tommy, and at first his mind remained blank as neither said a word and both stared. Then, Tommy's eyes narrowed and he turned away, muttering something under his breath he glanced back at Techno from the corner of his eye. 

When he disapeared around the corner, Techno sighed and closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. He just hopes this won't result in a catastrophe because he already had a long list of worst possible outcomes in his head. He made his way through the house and met with his three brothers in the Kitchen, who had been waiting for him to get started. 

Wilbur looked away from Tommy as he was saying something, and smiled at Techno. "Alright, we need a bunch of stuff so let's get looking," he said, and they did exactly that. Techno reached the high shelves and for those that even he couldn't get to, he lifted up Tubbo. In the end they had a few things, but sadly not everything. 

"Okay," Wilbur spoke up. Everyone stood around the Kitchen counter, which held the ingredients they found. "We have frosting and cream, sugar, flour, butter, baking powder, vanilla extract and... that's it," he stated, hands on his hips as his eyes glided over the ingredients. A frown crossed his lips as he realized they didn't have everything. 

"We still need wheat, milk and eggs," Techno said, and couldn't help but be a little disapointed. He'd actually been looking forward to baking a cake, and show Phil his appreciation, their appreciation. Though, without the last three ingredients, they could try to make a cake, but it just wouldn't work out. 

Wilbur sighed and began scooping up the ingredients so he could put them away, but Tubbo grabbed the packet of flour, having to go on his tip-toes to even be visible. "Wait! Can't we get the ingredients ourselves? We grow wheat!" He suggested. 

Techno and Wilbur exchanged looks, he was correct, they did indeed have wheat growing in the backyard. Wilbur's grin returned, "you're right, Tubbo! We can get the ingredients ourselves!" He exclaimed, picking up Tubbo, though immediately had to sit him down on the counter due to pain which he tried to hide. "Tubbo can gather the wheat with Tommy, I can find a chicken, and Techno can find a cow!"

Techno rose a brow, staring blankly at Wilbur. "Yeah, I don't think so," he stated nonchalantly, and continued before Wilbur could speak up. "Wilbur, you can stay here and harvest wheat with Tommy, I can find the cow and Tubbo can come with me to find a chicken," he suggested. 

Wilbur attempted to intervene, clearly upset with the changes, but one stern look from Techno made him shut his mouth and looked away bitterly. He already knew the reason behind his suggestion; his injury still needed time to heal, and going out into the wilderness did not seem like a good idea. 

He wasn't the only one who had a problem with the arrangements, though. "What? I don't want to stay here and harvest wheat! I want to go out into the forest! I can find a chicken!" Tommy piped up, staring up at Techno, visibly annoyed. Techno was unfazed by his short temper the same way Tommy didn't care for his glare. 

Techno glanced at Tommy's arm, he hadn't complained about it for a while. It didn't change, it remained hardened molten rock and unfortunately since they had yet to come up with a way to fix that, it seems it'll be permanent. "Fine, as long as you don't run off or cause me any trouble," he ended up giving in, only because he knew Tommy wouldn't shut up about it otherwise. 

"Alright!" Tommy cheered, jumping up and down. He seemed quite excited to just head into a forest, but then again, he'd never ventured out before, alone or with anyone else. In fact, the only person who has is Techno, when he went hunting with Phil, and Wilbur had the option to join them but chose not to. Someone had to take care of Tommy, after all. Techno himself has only been there a couple of times and never too far, sticking by Phil's side as he leads the way. He doubts they'll run into any wolves, the only thing they'll have to worry about are creepers, but Tommy knows how to defend himself.

On second thought, it would be much safer to just have Tommy tag along with him. Even if he can be annoying, and he will definitely regret bringing him along. That's a given, but they needed to gather the ingredients for the cake and if this was going to be a surprise, they didn't have too much time to waste. So with the agreement settled and jobs aligned, Techno and Tommy headed into the forest surrounding their home with some leads and a bucket. Why not bring a cow back to the farmhouse?

They had plenty of sunlight to see clearly, and yet despite that, when they ventured through the thick trees, the treetops blocked out a large majority of the sun. They could still make out their surroundings, so it wasn't too much of a big deal, but the dark areas where mobs could be lurking made Techno uneasy. He had a weapon with him, even with his newfound nervousness with being armed and dangerous, he needed some way to protsct himself and Tommy is the situation required it. 

Speaking of Tommy, "stay close by, Tommy," he cautioned, moving a hand behind him and felt nothing. "Wait, what?" Peering over his shoulder, to his horror, the short boy had disapeared from sight. He swore just a second ago he stood directly behind him, and he vanished, just like that. They were already off to a horrible start. "Oh, god Tommy, where did you go?!" He called out, eyes gliding over the area for any sign of his bright blonde hair, or a light emitting from his flame body. He saw neither.

"Crap," he couldn't have gone far, surely he knew better. What made him disappear out of the blue, though? Was he spooked, had something caught his attention, or... you know what, he might have just gotten scared and ran back home. Yeah, they weren't that far into the forest, he could've easily found his way back. 

His head shot up at a sound of bushes rustling, and he spun on his heel, eyes wide and prepared to scold Tommy for acting so recklessly. The words got lost in his throat, as his eyes landed on a wandering, wild cow. He gripped the lead in his hand, and sucked in his breath. Yeah, he just... went home, is all. 

He easily made it out of the forest and back home, a cow trailing behind him, a lead tied around its neck. "Wilbur, Tubbo," Techno called out when he got closer, catching the boys' attention, they rose their heads and smiled and waved. They'd already collected quite enough wheat, how long had he been gone?

"Hey! We got all the wheat," Wilbur said, gesturing to the pile, Tubbo held some in his hands, though he quickly set it down to greet the cow. His smile faded and he rubbed his neck, a look of puzzlement crossing his face. "Um, where's Tommy, didn't he go with you?" He asked, slight concern lacing his mouth. 

Techno gulped.

"Tommy! Where did you go?!" He'd sprinted back into the forest, reassuring Wilbur and Tubbo that he would find him in under a minute and drag him back home in an instant. He hid his fear, the voices of doubt spiralling in his head. Tommy was careless, but he wasn't stupid, or not stupid enough to run off on his own. He has to know how dangerous that is, but where could he be? He most likely just got accidentally left behind and got lost. But then that means its his fault for not paying closer attention. 

Crap. He better be around here, somewhere.

"Tommy! You brat, follow my voice! Say something!" He yelled, and he waited for an answer. A few seconds passed and it felt like minutes, he heard nothing but the faint echo of his own voice, and birds rustling in the treetops followed by wind. His own heart beat pounded in his ears and his breath turned shallow. The voices in his mind screamed, just as worried as him if not more. Implying things such as; what if a wolf got him? Or a creeper? And he hated how he couldn't completely rule it out.

Until he heard his voice, he screamed. "Techno!!" 

And he snapped, his body moving on its own he pulled out his axe and navigated his way through the trees. Then, he appeared right before him, his short, frail body clutching a chicken. Techno skidded to a halt, kicking up grass, leaves and dirt. His axe flew out of his hand and stabbed a tree to the right of Tommy. His chest heaved, and he ran his fingers through his hair as he caught his breath. 

He gripped Tommy by his shoulders, "Tommy... where did you go?! You weren't supposed to leave my side!" He shouted, lightly shaking him. But he's safe, that's all that matters is he's still alive and seemingly unharmed. There were fear in his eyes and his mouth hung agape, he kept quiet instead of arguing back. His eyes stared straight past him.

Techno froze as he heard growling behind him. Slowly, he turned his head and three wolves emerged from the shadows, then two more. Their teeth bared, they craved food and violence. 

Tommy tugged at Techno's sleeve, eyes fixated on the snarling beasts. "I-I'm scared, Techno," he choked out. 

"Quiet, Tommy." 

"B-but they're coming closer!" 

Techno's eyes flickered to his axe stuck in the tree, if he moved a muscle the wolves would pounce. It's too far to reach, but without it he's unarmed. He needed a different strategy, and fast. "Tommy, drop the chicken. They'll chase after it." 

Tommy stumbled on his words, arms tightening around the humble mob. "What?! But, I just met him!" He protested, as if valuing it over their lives made sense. "We need eggs for the cake!" 

Eggs and cake are the last things they need to worry about. The wolves inched closer, covering all sides. "Tommy!" 

"No!" 

Techno considered just grabbing the mob from his hands and feeding it to the man-hungry beasts, but he'd ran out of time. Tommy dropped the chicken, but it was too late, they were deemed suitable prey. The wolves pounced, and the rest opened their mouths full of razor-sharp teeth and attempted to chomp down on their limbs.

Techno snatched the wooden sword attached to Tommy's back and in one swift swung, the wolves dropped like flies. 

Tommy's eyes were closed, and before he could open them Techno moved his hand over his eyes. "A-are... are they dead...?" He asked just above a whisper, his voice and body shaky. 

Not even Techno dared look at the bloody sight, hiding the ruined sword behind his back. "No, they're... resting, I knocked them out," he answered quietly. He moved his hand to Tommy's shoulder and gently turned him away, and lightly pushed him. "Go get your chicken, it ran off that way," he said, and Tommy slowly proceeded forward, but stopped, and turned his head. "What are you doing? Hurry up, we need to get back before Phil wakes up."

His stern voice stopped Tommy, and he ran off in the direction. Techno's eyes followed him, he'd have to follow him before he gets lost again. The sword slipped from his hand and he slicked his hair back. He stared down at his bloodied hand, a few blood splatters on his clothes as well that he tried to wipe off. No matter, he told himself, ignoring his quickened heart beart and breathing. He simply wiped his hand on his already red jacket, and slipped it off. He hesitated, before dropping it on the ground, and hurried after Tommy. He'll... say that he lost it somewhere. 

"Tommy? Where are you, dammit, I look away for one sec─"

"I'm right here, idiot!"

He lowered his head, and found Tommy standing right in front of him, holding the cluckering chicken. He let out a sigh or relief, "right..." he mumbled, and moved a hand to Tommy's head, but seeing him flinch he froze. They locked eyes, and he quickly pulled his hand back and awkwardly shifted his gaze. "Let's... head back, don't want to keep Wilbur and Tubbo waiting."

They began making their way back home, and for a first few minutes neither said a word. He much preferred that, although he could sense the tension between them. His chest tightened, he resisted the urge to let a word slip and make things worse. It'd been pointless, though. 

"When... Wilbur got hurt..." he trailed off, and Techno's entire body stopped moving. His joints stiffened up and he couldn't move if he wanted to, his heart jumping to his throat. "Was it really you that..." 

The voices grew louder again, they were panicking, and he despised them. Anger boiled in the pit of his stomach, directed at both himself and these unwanted voices, spirits, whatever they call themselves, they aren't wanted. They're the ones at fault, not him, but it'd been his hand that took the sword and... "it, it was, but... not exactly." 

He couldn't decipher whether Tommy genuinely wanted an answer, or simply wanted to express his resentment and transparent frustration. There isn't a lot making sense in his mind right now, that's easy to pull apart. He didn't witness everything come undone, but he watched it play out, and that could be worse. 

His throat went dry as Tommy stared up at him, and he swallowed his nerves without success. "What does that mean?" Tommy asked, words so quiet and words blurred together, Techno almost didn't hear what he said. 

"There are these... spirits, following me apparently, telling me things. They... I lost control, it was... it was an accident."

"So... you didn't do it?"

The voices that had steadily grown louder, at that moment for whatever reason quieted down. He could think clearly again, looking into Tommy's hopeful eyes and, he wasn't emotional, he wasn't shouting at him or letting out all his anger like Techno expected. Instead he showed the exact opposite. "I-I did, it was the sword in my hand that... that... but they were just so, so loud, I didn't know what to do."

"...Oh."

The glimmering hope faded away with his answer, and it physically pained him. Tommy's head fell, slipping into silence once again as he held the chicken cuddly in his arms. 

Techno balled his hands into loose fists, eyes burning holes through the dirt at his feet, which he wished would swallow him whole. "I... didn't mean to, it was an accident," he says, not daring to raise his head for even a glimpse.

Yet, the uncertain silence felt worse. The voices aren't as loud, but without them his mind is blank, empty, and he falls right in. He hates him, and he doesn't blame him. Tubbo doesn't know what to think but soon enough, he'll despise him just the same and when Wilbur finally remembers... 

"He's, he's okay now and so... it won't happen again, right?" Tommy asks, unknowingly breaking Techno away from everything, and it's just the two of them. He wants to answer truthfully and give him comfort, give him relief knowing it won't and he, and everyone else are safe from his wrath, from the voices and his bloodlust. 

"I... I promise, it won't," he says so delicately, as his heart is on the verge of shattering like glass. Simply speaking made his throat sore, his chest painfully tight, everything is on edge and he's subconsciously holding his breath. He waits, for a response, positive or negative he assumes he'll receive the worst of it. That's what he deserves, right? To be hated. Why would he be forgiven? 

But there's a glint of relief, as Tommy's body relaxes. He could not have expected the following words to leave his mouth in such a soft, caring voice. "Then... then I forgive you, but you... have to keep the promise, alright? Find a way to make those spirits leave you alone." 

On the verge of breaking, the final thread at risk of snapping and letting it all come undone, Techno's heart continued beating and a wave of relief washed over him. It took a couple of moments for his mind to register the words, checking if he heard him correctly. He had, as unbelievable as it is, he... forgave him, after days in a row of mean looks, hesitance, anger and one-sided arguments, and worst of all; fear, he'd forgiven him right then and there. 

He'll keep the promise no matter what. He swears on his life he'll protect him, Wilbur, Tubbo and Philza no matter what comes between them. He'll make the best out of these pesky spirits if he can't find a way to get rid of them, and he'll figure it all out somehow. He promises on it.

Within five minutes or so, they arrived safely out of the forest and Tommy sprinted to his brothers, still holding the chicken. "Wilbur! Tubbo, look what I've got!" He raised his voice, and held up the chicken, and his brothers could only catch a glimpse of it before it flew out of his hands, and he tripped over his own feet trying to catch it and fell flat on his face. His brothers laughed, waving and running over. 

Techno sighed, grabbing Tommy he lifted him back up. The first thing Tommy did was chase after the chicken, which he somehow couldn't catch up to, and it became quite the amusing sight. "Come on, we need an egg, that's the last thing we need," Techno said, crossing his arms as his eyes followed Tommy running circles around him. "You... guys did milk the cow, right?" He asked, sending a glance at Wilbur and Tubbo. 

Wilbur rested his arm on Tubbo's shoulder and smiled, "yep! Taught Tubbo how to do it, too." 

It's a great thing Phil taught them, or else they'd be lost without him and this wouldn't be possible. "Alright, Tommy," Techno said, turning to his brother who ran over with an egg. 

"I got it!" He exclaimed, holding it up, when he should have had a better grip on it. He tripped over a rock and the egg flew right into the air, but thankfully Techno caught it and it didn't crack in his hand. He let out a long sigh, shaking his head. He pinched the bridge of his nose and narrowed his eyes at Tommy when he got up. He reached out his hand to take the egg, but Techno held it over his head. 

"Come on, let's just get this over with," he said, walking back to the house. His three brothers trailed behind, ecstatic. They'd help decorate cakes before this, place them in the furnace, but Phil had always done the baking himself. Hopefully this one would turn out decent without his help, if they haven't already ran out of time that is.

Tubbo laughed as he followed, thinking of what he would decorate the cake with. A big 'ol smiley face sounded like a good idea, but his thoughts cut off as he coughed and wheezed a little, coming to a halt. His hand over his mouth, he tilted his head at the strange, small splatters of red. "Tubbo?" Hearing Wilbur say his name, he lifted his head. "You alright?" He asked, standing besides him. 

Tubbo smiled from ear-to-ear, his hand falling to his side and nodded eagerly. "I feel great! Come on, I wanna make a cake!" He giggled, and chased after the others. Wilbur watched him, and chuckled a little before shortly following behind, not noticing the red-stained grass. 

They probably should have prepared for the huge mess in the kitchen they would make, but they were in a rush. They intended for it to a surprise and Phil could wake up at any given second, so they tried having someone act as a lookout; only problem is, everyone wanted to help with the cake. So they ended up choosing to take turns, every five minutes or so someone would sneak up to Phil's room and check if he's waking up. 

In terms of actually putting in the ingredients, they weren't doing too badly for a group of siblings who get along _sometimes._ Tubbo and Tommy kept trying to bud in, get involved as much as possible to the point they were asking to help even when they'd ran out of ingredients. Their height made it so they had to held up, too, and because of Wilbur's current condition, it meant Techno had to do it. Alternatively they sat the mixing bowl on the floor so it'd be easier to reach, but Wilbur almost stepped in it after coming back from Phil's room.

They somehow managed to add in all the proper ingredients and the right amount, and from what they could tell it didn't look too bad. They didn't all have a hundred-percent confidence, however, except for Tommy and Tubbo. Although Techno's sure he caught Tubbo acting something a little extra into the mix, but exactly what he doesn't know. At best, it adds to the flavour and at worst, it ruins the taste completely, depending on what he stores in the kitchen.

They'd placed the cake into the furnace not long ago, and without a doubt Phil had to be waking up soon. Just as the thought passed through Techno's head, he heard Wilbur's rapid footsteps speeding down the hall and he skidded to a stop. "Dad's getting up!" He warned, and the Kitchen erupted into chaos; aka, Tommy and Tubbo running back and forth screaming. 

The cake wasn't ready yet, they hadn't even put on the icing. "Quick, come up with an excuse for him to stay in bed!" Techno instructed.

It didn't help Wilbur's panic, "like what?!"

"I don't know! Just, go!" He demanded, and Wilbur disappeared from his sight at the light of speed. They needed to prepare the cake, and when he turned around, he let out an actual scream. "Tommy! What, what are you doing?!" He screeched, Tommy had reached into the furnace with his bare hands, holding onto the burning hot container. Yet, he stared at Techno dumbfounded, and it took Techno a few moments to remember he's half magma cube, heat doesn't affect him. 

He muttered to himself, shaking his head. He then grabbed a tray and placed it on the counter, "quick! Place it on here!" He ordered, and Tommy did exactly that. In the spur of the moment, Techno grabbed the container with his own bare hands, and suffered the consequences. "Tommy, you," instead of finishing, he picked up Tommy and lifted him up. "Grab... grab the container, turn it upside-down and shake the cake out. Tubbo, grab the icing." 

As soon as the cake plopped out, he set Tommy down and Tubbo appeared besides him with the icing already made up in a tube. When he tried taking it from him, Tubbo's expression saddened and he whined. "Alright, fine," Techno grumbled, picking Tubbo up he let him do the icing himself. He tapped his foot on the floor, knowing Phil would run in at any moment. "Can you hurry up?"

He didn't expect it to be that sudden, though. 

"Techno! Step away from─" his voice boomed as he slid into the room, and Techno almost dropped Tubbo. All eyes turned to him, he'd literally shouted out in panic, but seeing it isn't what he thought, he calmed down and confusion took over as he approached. "What are you...?" He asked, but he answered his own question as his eyes drifted to the cake. 

Wilbur stood at the entrance, and Techno sneakily made his way over to him. "What did you tell him?!" He whispered, and Wilbur cracked a sheepish smile, raising his hands in defense. 

"I told him you and Tommy were fighting," he admitted. 

"Is this..." Phil trailed off as he stared down at the mess of a cake with a melting smiley face on it. His eyes widened at the realization, "oh," he murmured, and looked to Tubbo and Tommy standing beside each other with large, proud smiles on their faces. He smiled back and chuckled, crouching down to their height. 

"It's for you!" Tommy said, and Phil ruffled his and Tubbo's hair. 

"Aww, my boys," he laughed, hugging both of them in a returned embrace. Then, he stood up and turned to face Wilbur and Techno. 

When Techno stopped mid-sentence and glanced behind him, he met Phil's loving gaze and looked away bashfully. His back turned to Phil, Wilbur had tried to warn him but had been too slow when Phil out of nowhere picked up Techno and gave him a warm hug which shut his body down. He froze, as if not knowing how to react. 

It only lasted for a few seconds, Phil soon set him down and gave Wilbur a hug as well, but had to be more careful and gentle. Wilbur seemed a little disappointed at that, but Phil didn't notice, walking back to the cake he opened a draw and took out a knife. "Aw, you guys, you didn't have to do this," he thanked them one last time, setting down the knife to give Tubbo and Tommy another hug. The smiley face had melted even more, since the cake hadn't been left to cool, and lost its shape. "Really, you didn't," he chuckled.

He carefully sliced it into five parts and handed them to each of his children, though Tommy ruined the moment by trying to take Techno's piece which he deemed the biggest. They had no idea what it would taste like, and they braced themselves before digging in. Surprisingly, it tasted rather... sweet, and not too bad for their first cake. 

"Mm, did you add honey?" Phil asked, and Techno glanced at Tubbo, raising a brow. 

"You added honey?" Tubbo nodded, stuffing the rest of his slice into his mouth, enjoying it the most out of all of them. 

Phil laughed, and set his slice down on the table. He then crouched down and gestured for them to come closer, and surprised them with a hug. "Oh my boys, I love you all so much," he sighed, and they all leaned into his touch and hugged him back the best they could. Things had turned out rather well, they had all the ingredients and the cake was a great success. 

There was just one last problem. "Now..." Phil released them from his hug, and stood up. He crossed his arms over his chest, tilting his head to the counter. "Who's gonna clean up all the mess?" 

Silence filled the room as they all stared at him blankly. Wilbur and Techno exchanged looks, before both bolting out the room. "See ya losers!"

"Good luck!" 

Tubbo and Tommy looked on, betrayed, whilst Phil couldn't stop himself from laughing. 

"Hey, no fair!"

"You're older, you clean up the mess!" They both shouted, and hurried after their older brothers who were long out of sight. 

"Kids!" Phil called out between breaths, unable to stop laughing. "Wait, come back!" He wheezed, using the counter for support, "you can all clean up the Kitchen!" He calmed himself down, and had to catch his breath. Holding onto the wall as he made his way out the Kitchen, he cackled. This was sweet, even if they did end up ruining the Kitchen for one simple cake, it's the thought that counts. What did he do to deserve such a loveable bunch. "Whoever cleans up the Kitchen gets more cake!" 

Following those words, a stampede headed towards him. He had no time to brace himself and narrowly avoided their wrath, jumping out of the way as all four of them sped past him and into the Kitchen. Their loud voices jumbled together, Phil watched on as they competed against each other to do the most cleaning. He never thought the day would come. 

He never thought the day would come. 


	9. And I wonder what become of you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the sun rises, daylight is filled with joy, but as the sun falls and it turns dark...
> 
> Song; The Shrine / An argument by Fleet Foxes

Techno had a dream.

He doesn't have dreams, he didn't think piglins could, but he had one for the first time and it was... strange, so to say. At first it was more of a nightmare, surrounded in darkness there were the voices demanding blood, and even when he covered his ears he could still hear them. They were inside his head, and wouldn't get out. But then the darkness disappeared, along with the voices and he found himself with his family he cherished so much, and they did so many things. They played knights and dragons, and for once Tommy wasn't acting like an annoying brat, then Wilbur and him climbed a tree, looking down on Tommy and Tubbo they mocked them both.

The day never seemed to end, as what felt like hours passed. One activity after the other, by the time he finally grew exhausted he laid down on a grassy hill with Wilbur, the gentle breeze blowing over them. Not a care in the world, he never once thought about leaving his home and venturing out into the unknown, he had no reason to, all he could ever want, for now is here by his side. 

"Techno?" Wilbur said softly, glancing at him, and Techno hummed, his gaze fixated on the sky and the clouds floating by. A few of them resembled animals, funnily enough, he wondered what they'd feel like. They resembled the soft texture of sheep's wool, so they probably felt similar, incredibly fluffy. 

"Why did you hurt me?"

He snapped out of his daydreaming, had he heard that right? "What?" Confused, he rolled over and met Wilbur's gaze. It took him a second to notice his skin had turned almost transparent, like a ghost, and his bright yellow sweater had a red stain near his stomach, where he... he... 

He woke up in a cold sweat, grasping for air. Grabbing fistfuls of his bed cover, he realized it'd just been a dream, but it turned into a nightmare out of nowhere. He sighed, his body relaxing, he ran his fingers through his long hair. He should probably cut it, it's getting to be a little messy and hard to take care of, but at the same time he likes it. 

A bit of sunlight came in through a gap between the blinds, and Techno moved it aside and peered outside. He saw his brothers and Phil already outside, so he must have slept in a bit. His eyes landed on Wilbur, and his breath hitched. His brother watching as Tommy and Tubbo eagerly rambled on about something, he must've noticed his gaze and looked to him, smiling and waving. 

Techno's expression turned sour, and he closed the blinds. 

Phil had a lot planned for today. He'd rather keep moving than simply relax and do nothing all day, and he needed to keep his kids entertained, whereas also not letting them leave his sight. He still had the stacks of wood they chopped up not too long ago, and it he deemed it the right time to bring it out. 

"What's all that for?" Tommy asked, stopping mid-sentence as Phil brought out all the wood. 

Phil chuckled, and gestured for Techno who just came outside to come over. The kids gathered in front of Phil, staring curiously and awaiting his explanation. "Well," he started with another light chuckle, resting his hand on the large pile of logs. "We're going to build a treehouse, how does that sound?" 

He found their amazed and excited reactions humoring. "A treehouse!!" Tommy and Tubbo repeated, turning to each other. He knew they'd love this, though it'll take some work. He has a vague idea how it's going to look, but he's never actually built one himself before. 

"Here that, Techno? We're gonna get a treehouse!" Wilbur grinned, nudging Techno, who snapped out of his thoughts and flinched. Wilbur raised a brow, "you alright?" He asked, his grin slightly faltering. 

Techno quickly glanced at him, for no more than a second before looking away, his shoulders a little raised. "Yeah," he said blatantly, "just a little tired," he answered. 

Wilbur's grin faded, and his expression shifted into one of concern. Though it didn't last for long, his face lighting up he elbowed Techno, "seriously? Even though you're the last one to wake up," he lightly poked fun at him. 

Techno kept facing the other way, but wore a strained smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. He tried to speak, but he was cut off.

"Hurry up, slowpokes! Or we're gonna claim it all to ourselves!!" Tommy shouted, cupping his mouth to make his voice louder. He, Tubbo and Phil had already left, and were starting their search for the perfect tree. They weren't too far away, but enough that they were being left behind. Techno narrowed his eyes and scoffed, as if they'd let him. If anything, he and Wilbur will make it up there first, and make it so he can't get up. 

Wilbur seemed to have the same idea. "As if! You're gonna regret that when you're banned from _our_ treehouse!" He warned in a joking manner, and ran towards Tommy. Who appeared to jump out of his skin, almost, and immediately cried out to Phil as he made a run for it. 

Techno couldn't help but laugh, quickly chasing after them before he's accidentally left behind. At first, he thought that weird nightmare of his meant something terrible would happen, but... maybe this day won't be so bad after all. 

Some of the logs sat on a cart being pulled by the cow Techno had brought back, which Tommy named "Henry". Phil carried a couple more of the logs on another cart, he wasn't sure how much they'd need, so he took as much as they could. They had to find the perfect tree, a large one that could withstand a mini house. They'll have a retractable ladder and everything, it'll be like a second, much smaller home.

"Why not that tree?" Tubbo asked, coming to a stop he gestured to _the_ tree. The one they'd found him under, the one with the handprints... it was indeed the largest, and it's form would actually be perfect to build a decent sized house on it. He stared in silence, hesitant. He sent a an unsure glance at Techno, he's sure the spirits have claimed that as their own. But to his surprise, Techno walked towards it, and taking this as an agreement, Tubbo's face lit up and he trailed after him. 

Then Tommy and Wilbur did the same, leaving Phil behind. Even the cow came along without even needing to be led. "Uh, Techno?" Phil said warily, and Techno stopped at the foot of the tree and tilting his head back, struggled to see the very top with the rays of sunlight blocking him. He pressed a hand against the body, and it fit one of the handprints. He turned to Phil, removing his hand. 

"It's fine! Let's do it here!" He called out. 

Phil thought on it for a moment, and shifted his attention to the other kids; Tommy tried climbing up the branches, but thankfully Wilbur stopped him. Phil let out a soft sigh, a small smile crossing his face, and made his way over with the rest of the logs. It did seem like the best tree they're gonna come across, and they don't want it to be too far away from the house; here, the kids are still within sight. The height is a little concerning, though, for two reasons; one, it'll be a little tricky to get up there and two, falling from the top won't be pretty. 

Everyone else seemed to already make their decision for him, however, and couldn't wait to start building. If he were to say no now, he'd definitely disappoint Tommy and Tubbo, who are trying to climb it again, and are gushing about how large it is. So, he didn't really have any other choice. 

"Alright," he sighed, feeding the cow some wheat so it'd stay put, he untied the logs. "Let's get started then," he said, just when he thought they couldn't get anymore riled up. This is going to take a while, for sure, but they don't have anything else to do, basically everyday they can do whatever they want whenever they wish. 

First, they had to build the base, but because of the height they had to first implement stairs, and that wasn't too hard. Making sure they were supported and wouldn't fall apart, they got to work on the base, using wooden planks. It would be larger than a little shack, the tree was quite large after all. He had the kids draw what they wanted it to look like, and they varied from plausible to... a little to bizarre. In the end, he designed his own using inspiration from each of their drawings. The stairs would lead up to a house with two rooms, and there'd be a small porch. He held the drawing up in front of the work in progress, and it didn't look too shabby. Of course, they still had a little more to go. 

"Huh, we ran out already?" He said to himself, finding that both carts were empty, and they'd already gone back to collect the rest. He swore that they still had plenty more, but clearly not. He turned to his kids, who to their disappointment weren't able to do much asides from come up with ideas for the house and hand him the planks. To pass the time they'd just been messing about, but were growing bored.

"Hey, kids! We've got to gather some more wood," Phil announced, making sure the lead was secured firmly around the cow's, or Henry's neck. 

Receiving a burst of energy, they all ran over to him with delighted cheers. Tubbo jumped onto the cart being towed by Henry, as so did Tommy, but not without being called lazy by Techno. All in good fun, of course, and sibling banter. They delved deep into the forest, keeping an eye out for hostile mobs. Things were actually quite peaceful, they came across a few more cows they passed up, but seeing them made Henry break from his lead. Tommy ran right after him, and a chase broke out as everyone else followed before he could get lost. 

Luckily they didn't run into any hostile mobs, and were able to safely secure Henry and bring him back. Things were fine after that, or so he thought. There was just one minor problem. "Uh, Phil...?" Wilbur spoke up, hopping off the back of the cart. He received a hum in response. "Uh, I think we're... lost?" He admitted, looking around, and everything fell silent. 

Phil paused, half-way through chopping down a tree and he took in his surroundings, which were all just trees. "Ah," he cracked a sheepish smile as it dawned on him, they were in fact, lost. He spotted Tubbo and Tommy a short distance away, apparently playing chase with a wild sheep, and unknowingly scaring it. He cleared his throat, turning his attention back to Wilbur, and Techno who appeared beside him. "I'm... sure we're fine. We can find our way out of here easily," he assured. He didn't need to worry them. 

They'd gathered enough wood by now, and could head back. If they knew where to go, that is. But as he opened his mouth to speak, Tubbo's head perked up, and his eyes widened. "Guys! Look over there!" He exclaimed, pointing north from where he stood, to the right of everyone else and he sprinted in that direction before anyone could stop him. 

"T-Tubbo! Don't run off!" Phil exclaimed, dropping the cart he chased after him, and so did everyone else. But the trees blocked his vision, and he soon lost sight of Tubbo, but his laughter gave his location away. "Tubbo!" Phil called out, pushing past the branches and jumping over the logs and bushes, his shoulders fell and relief washed over him at the sight. 

Tubbo had found a rare flower forest, populated with bees and mooblooms. He appeared right at home, the largest smile he'd ever seen spread across his face at he sat down in the flowers and was greeted by a moobloom, and a few bees floated around his head. The kids were left in awe at the beautiful sight, every kind of flower covering the land. 

"Whoa..." Wilbur took a few steps forward and stepped in a running stream, and got his shoes and socks wet. "Oh, come on!" He scoffed, taking his shoes and socks off, Tubbo saw this as a great opportunity. When Wilbur lifted his head, it got splashed with water. 

Tubbo laughed hysterically, pointing at him until he received payback, his face also splashed with water. As Wilbur found it hilarious, Tubbo quickly slipped off his shoes and socks, rolling up his pants and jumped into the water, the splash drenched Wilbur. And thus, a water fight began between the two. 

Phil watched, finding the whole interaction splendid but remained a safe distance away. 

"Hey! Techno, you coming in, or are you chicken?" Wilbur teased, and didn't let Techno respond as he started imitating a chicken clucking, and Tubbo joined in. 

Techno smiled and rolled his eyes, "fine, fine," he muttered, giving in he stepped into the water barefoot, holding his shoes in his hand. Wilbur kicked his feet, trying to splash Techno, but he dodged and counterattacked successfully. At this rate, they'll be heading home soaked and freezing. With that in mind, Phil didn't try to stop them, they were having too much fun. 

Well, most of them were. He chuckled, but his smile vanished when he saw Tommy standing to the right of him, he hadn't noticed him because of how uncharacteristically quiet he was. He was puzzled at first, not understanding why he wasn't joining in on the fun, but following his line of sight to the water, he remembered. Tommy held his rock arm to his chest, a painful look across his face. How could it have slipped his mind.

Wilbur abruptly falling silent caught Phil's attention, and he was staring directly at Tommy. His eyes moved to his arm and his eyes widened. He shook his head and he shuffled back to land, "I'm sorry, I'll get out," he mumbled.

"Shut up," Tommy snapped, his eyes narrowed. It quickly softened and he failed to hide his fear, as he stared at his reflection through the transparent water, he took in a deep breath and tried to move, but he couldn't. It's just a little bit of water, it's harmless when he's in this form. 

He lifted his head to see Tubbo extending out his hand, flashing a gentle smile. Tommy hesitated for a moment, slowly reaching out his hand and freezing, his fingertips touched Tubbo's palm and carefully, he led him into the stream. His breath hitched as the water went up to his ankles and he began to tremble, but as he took another step and nothing happened, he calmed down. He caught Techno and Wilbur running around and kicking water at each other, and holding onto Tubbo so he wouldn't slip, he and Tubbo did a sneak attack. 

Tommy tensed up when they both turned to him, clothes dripping wet. "Run, Tubbo run!" He yelled, and holding onto his hand they made a run for it down the stream. But Tommy's hand slipped out of Tubbo's and loosing his footing, he fell face first straight into the water. Hearing the impact, Tubbo skidded to a stop and looked back in horror.

"Tommy!" He cried, running over. The water only reached his ankles, he had no risk of drowning, but Wilbur and Techno froze. Tubbo helped Tommy up, and the front half of him was absolutely soaked. "I'm, I'm sorry! I didn't," he cut himself off, his hands shaking as he gripped his shoulders. Tommy had his head lowered, his hair falling into his face. 

He raised a hand to Tubbo's shoulder, and then shoved him away. He lost his balance and crashed into the water, landing on his back, he sat up on his own. "Tommy...?"

Tommy wiped the hair out of his face, and wore a wide, toothy grin. Tubbo's eyes widened, and a bright smile spread across his face, and he laughed. 

The four of them continued having their fun for a few more minutes, before drying out under a tree and relaxing. By the time their clothes dried, it was time for them to head back, Phil claimed he knew which way to go. They should have enough logs to finish the treehouse now, an exciting thought. 

They started heading back, it was around late afternoon now. Tommy and Tubbo refused to slow down, running off ahead and all over the place until Tubbo suddenly had shortness of breath, and was allowed to ride on the cart being pulled by Henry. It stopped Tommy from acting reckless, staying by his side. Whereas, at the back of the group Techno pulled the other cart and Wilbur walked alongside him, and they admired the scenery together. 

Techno secretly snuck a few glances at Wilbur, he showed no signs of pain, either that or he's good at hiding it. Both Phil and Techno suggested he'd ride on the cart, since at first he did have some difficulty walking, but he claimed he was just worn out and stayed by Techno's side. There were a couple times he'd catch him slip up, and complain about the pain under his breath, or just being uncomfortable. Yet he continued to assure he's completely fine, with a convincing forced smile. Techno could see straight through him like glass. Like he's transparent. 

He thought back to the nightmare, and his heart skipped a beat. He pushed the thoughts to the back of his head, but even the voices were concerned. He isn't going to be back one-hundred percent in just a matter of days, it'll take weeks, possibly months. Part of him doesn't want to think about it, the severity, but he can't ignore it. Nor can he admit it to himself, or him... it'd be risking far too much. 

"Stop straining yourself," he said softly, moving an arm to his shoulder, they both slowed to a stop. Wilbur stared at him, puzzled, as if his words made no sense. He spoke more sternly this time, "let your body heal. Until then, you have to take it easy." 

Wilbur's mouth fell open, but he didn't say anything. Dropping his eyes, his expression turned sorrowful and just as Techno felt somewhat guilty, Wilbur sighed and raised his head. His blank face caught Techno off guard, but he didn't have the chance to question it. "Techno, I... have to be truthful with you, I can't keep quiet anymore."

Techno's face paled, the voices went dead silent. "Wh-what are you talking about, Wil?" And then, they started up again, going into a confused, panicked frenzy. They were almost impossible to ignore, speaking in the back of his mind, steadily growing louder. His heart beat grew faster, his hand tightly gripping Wilbur's shoulder as he stared right into his eyes. 

Wilbur bit his lip and tried to speak, then stopped himself, and tried again. There was guilt reflected in his eyes, but what, what did he have to feel guilty about? 

His mind came to one, terrifying conclusion.

Wilbur turned his body to face Techno, his hand falling off his shoulder. "I... I remember, Techno, it came back to me just yesterday. And... Tubbo and Tommy aren't exactly the best liars, neither are you, you kept acting so... cautious around me, at first I thought I'd done something wrong, or you were just afraid you'd somehow make things worse." 

Techno couldn't believe the words escaping his mouth. He backed away, the voices growing louder. He remembered, and yet for some reason he stayed close to him, despite knowing what he... what he did. It made no sense. 

Seeing him move away, Wilbur reached out his hand, but stopped himself. He continued, "no, I... I'm not mad at you, Techno. Trust me, I remember enough to know you weren't in control. I'm not sure what happened to you, but you weren't yourself... I know you didn't intend to hurt me. It's okay."

It's okay, what part of this is okay? He fought the rising panic, and closed his eyes, clutching his head he pushed back the voices until he could barely hear them anymore. It was all just... silence. "I'm, I'm sorry..." he whispered, his voice breaking. He rested his head on Wilbur's shoulder as he came forward, and wrapped his arms gently around him. As if he's the fragile one. 

"I'm so, so sorry Wilbur..." 

It turned out to be a good day after all. 

After a few seconds, Wilbur still hadn't let go. "Will... are you okay?" Techno asked quietly, and Wilbur hummed, slowly moving back, but winced in pain. 

He forced on a strained smile, a hand pressed against his wound. "Yeah, it just... it hurts." 

"Do you want me to carry you back...?"

"...Yeah.

Though at moments it looked like they were lost, after roughly ten minutes of searching and some teamwork, they arrived at their destination. "Alright, home sweet home!" Phil announced, standing proud at the house, they kept walking until they reached the tree house in progrees. "I'll keep working on the treehouse, and you guys..." he trailed off, picking up a log from the cart, and stood it up. "Can do some wood carving." 

Techno lowered Wilbur onto his feet. "Wood carving?" He repeated, watching Phil chop the log into smaller chunks, he each handed them a block and some tools. 

He hummed, "that's right. Make whatever you want, I'll be right over there if you need me, alright?" He said, crossing his arms. Then, he picked up the cart's handle, and gave Henry a quick pet. He did a double take, making sure that they weren't already being reckless. "I won't take too long!" He assured, before heading off. 

Techno and Wilbur sat underneath a tree, in the shade. Techno looked at the block of wood at all angles, and whilst Wilbur had already started chipping away, he hadn't the faintest clue what to make. There were so many possibilities, but at the same time he's never done this before, so whatever he makes probably isn't going to be that good. "Agh! Why is this so difficult?" But at least he isn't like Tommy, already getting frustrated. 

He decided to take his time with it, slowly cutting away. He unknowingly slipped into a subconscious state, the outside world around him fading away as he focused on the project. One cut at a time, he still didn't know his plans, but slowly it began to take shape. His hands moving without thought, he only snapped back to reality when Wilbur touched his shoulder, and presented his own finished project. 

"What'd you think?" He asked, a small... fox, sitting up-right in the palm of his hand. It was rather simple and had a few loose chippings hanging off, but he could tell what it is, and for his first time it was quite well made. 

Techno chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "It looks great, really, how did you do it so fast?" 

Wilbur sat it down beside them, and raised a brow, "what do you mean?" He asked. 

Techno averted his attention to the sky, which had gotten darker. It went from late afternoon to evening, but he swore it hadn't been that long. When did time go by so quick? 

"Are you kidding? Yours looks even better!" Wilbur complimented, and Techno looked down in his hands to see his project already finished. To his surprise, it looked... actually decent, better than that actually. He made a person, though there were still some rough edges and one arm was shorter than the other, same with the legs being a little wonky, he didn't expect it to come out that well. 

"Hey, hey! Look what I made! It's so much better than yours!" Tommy shouted, sprinting towards them with Tubbo by his side, he slid across the grass, ruining his pants. He proudly held out his own creation, a... well, they weren't sure on what it was, and were reluctant to give feedback. Wilbur and Techno exchanged looks, and Tommy quickly caught on. "What? It looks great!" He insisted.

"What, uh..." Wilbur cleared his throat, "what is it."

The look of offense on his face almost made Techno laugh out loud, whereas Wilbur instantly regretted his words, but couldn't take them back. Tommy glared at him, and scoffed. He ran his thumb over the wood carving, "it's a disc," he mumbled. 

A... disc? 

"I made a box!" Tubbo spoke up, and held it out with both hands, a little box. It even had a removable lid, but it didn't fit exactly. Still, it was impressive. He handed it to Techno, who placed down his person and closely examined the simple, yet well-crafted object. Though because of Tubbo's small hands, it was only little. He gave it back to Tubbo, who seemed quite happy with his finished project, as so was Tommy with his, and with a second glance, it did resemble a disc now that he thought about it. 

"Kids! Come have a look!" Phil called out, and it only meant one thing. They could see the treehouse from here, and to their amazement, it was finished, and it looked spectacular. They all dropped their things and ran over as fast as they could to get a better view, they were in awe even from a distance. A second home, all to themselves. 

"It looks great!! Yes!!" Tommy complimented, and wasted no time hurrying up the stairs, but it was a competition to whoever reached the top first, but at least there was no retractable ladder which would cause so, so many arguments. All in good fun, just... friendly banter and sibling rivarly. Not that he could relate, but they were getting a bit loud, now Wilbur and Tommy were both trying to fit through the door, raising their voices at each other. 

They'd unknowingly left Tubbo behind, who carried his box in his hands to show Phil. His legs were unusually weak, slowing down with each step, his vision blurred. "Phil! Phil, look what I made!" He said between breaths, his breathing becoming rigid, his chest oddly ached, and the box tumbled out of his grasp. 

Tommy and Wilbur pushed each other, their movements turning a little too brash. Phil opened his mouth to request they'd calm down when the sound of a heavy thud cut him off. He turned his head in the direction, and his heart stopped. Tubbo laid face down on the ground, unmoving.

"T-Tubbo...?"

Perhaps the nightmare meant something after all.


	10. When you lose something you cannot replace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tubbo's condition is worsening, and it's all falling apart.
> 
> Song; Fix you by Coldplay

He should have realized it sooner, but there were no signs. Not that he could see, that would warn him of such an event. Tubbo had collapsed all of a sudden, and fell unconscious. He currently laid in bed, still unconscious with everyone by his side. 

Tommy had been tugging at Phil's arm for a while now, but he'd spaced off as he stared at Tubbo's peaceful figure, fast asleep. "Phil, Phil, what's wrong? What's wrong with him?" Tommy pleaded, harshly tugging at his sleeve with both hands. Techno placed a hand on his shoulder and gently pulled him away, there were tears brimming in Tommy's eyes. 

This can't be happening. Wilbur still hadn't recovered from the incident, he had to treat his wound with what he had and now, he had another misfortune on his hands. "I... let's just give him some time to rest, okay?" He says quietly, trying not to let his voice break and show fear as he sits a hand on top of Tommy's head, but he quickly removed it. Tommy was heating up due to his strong emotions. 

He glanced at Tubbo, slowly breathing in, and out, his cute little ears twitching. He hates to admit he doesn't know what's wrong, he isn't a doctor, he can't figure out what made him collapse so abruptly out of the blue. Sure, he'd been a little out of breath earlier, he'd paid attention to that but didn't see it as a big deal. How was he supposed to know what it foreshadowed?

He can't do this; he has to stay strong for his kids, especially Tommy, who's looking to him for any kind of reassurance. Tubbo isn't only his brother, he's his best friend. They're practically inseparable in the short time they've known each other. "He..." there's a pause of uncertainty, as he catches his breath and swallows his nerves. "He has a fever, that's all," he stated with a shaky voice, putting on a smile. 

He catches a glimmer of hope on Tommy's face, tears no longer threatening to fall from his eyes. A fever, that isn't too bad. "So... he'll be better soon?" He asked, taking a step closer. 

He doesn't have a fever, sure his temperature has gone up a little, but it's something different. Something worse. 

He sucks in a deep breath, his smile widening, and he gave a nod. "Yeah... yeah, just give him some rest and I'm sure when he wakes up, he'll be fine," he assured, softly ruffling Tommy's hair, which had cooled down. He can feel Techno's and Wilbur's wary eyes on him, they know better, they've learned the symptoms of a liar. But he keeps his focus on Tommy, going down on one knee to reach his height. "So, go play with Will and Techno, you don't want to disturb him, right?" 

Tommy appears hesitant, thinking it over in his head, before his thoughts are cut off by Techno resting his hand on his head. He quietly sighs, "come on, short stack," he mumbled, and stepped past Phil, expecting Tommy to follow. When he reached the door, Tommy hadn't moved an inch, instead staring at Tubbo. 

Techno cleared his throat, and meeting his gaze, slightly narrowed his eyes. Tommy slowly removed his hand from Tubbo's bed, and grumbling under his breath, walked over to Techno and they both left the room, with Techno sneaking one last glance at Wilbur. 

With a heavy sigh, Phil stood up, and instantly locked eyes with Wilbur. For a moment, they stood in silence, and Phil could almost predict the following words. "Dad..." it's a little strange to think about, how Wilbur's the only one to call him Dad, only sometimes, when he's cared for the three of them for over three years now. "Is Tubbo really, I mean... is he going to be..." Wilbur cut himself off when Phil surprised him with a hug, careful not to hurt him. 

He has to stay strong, for them. "I... am sure there's a remedy I can brew, it could just be a fever. So... how about making him some soup, we have beetroots, don't we?" He replied softly, pulling away with a small, noticeably strained smile. Wilbur seemed unsure, and Phil's smile quickly began to fall. "I'll do everything I can, Will. All you can do is hope for the best, and give him some time to rest. Okay?"

Wilbur opened his mouth, but couldn't speak. He lowered his gaze and raised his shoulders, "okay... just, don't be too hard on yourself, okay, Dad?" He said, lifting his head to look him in the eyes. 

He left Phil a little speechless, and couldn't say a word for a few seconds. "Right..." he whispered, staring at his feet, he took in a deep breath, and slowly exhaled. He looked at Wilbur and a small smile reappeared on his face, "go make that beetroot soup and keep an eye on your brothers, okay? I'll... just be here, for a little longer."

Wilbur nodded, and then left without another word. 

Phil grabbed the stool by the shelves and moved it to the bed, and pausing for a moment, opened a small wooden chest sitting by the bed and carefully took out a music box and placed it on Tubbo's nightstand. It had a bit of dust which be brushed off, and engraved on the lid were wings. He opened it up, revealing a mini angel figurine and began winding it up until he couldn't no more, and let it play a wonderful tune. 

He sat down on the stool and when his eyes landed on Tubbo, his forming smile instantly vanished, replaced by a deepening frown. He watched his chest rise and fall with each breath, but asides from that his body laid motionless. The soft tune filled with memories always touched a vulnerable spot in his heart, but he couldn't blame it entirely for the tears in his eyes. He reached out his hand, and brushed away a loose strand of hair falling into his face. His touch so gentle, as if afraid he'd shatter like glass.

He hasn't been here for long, compared to the others, but he's already made this place home. He's become a part of the family, loved equally as his new brothers, who care for him deeply as so does he. "You'll be okay," he whispered, blinking back the tears. "I promise you, I'll make sure you'll be alright. Don't you worry." He stood up, and leaning over to plant a kiss on his forehead, silently left the room and quietly closed the door behind him, leaving the music box playing for a few more moments before it came to an end.

He passed by his other kids in the kitchen, from what he could hear, they were lightly arguing about how to prepare beetroot soup. He'll check up on them in a moment. For now, he headed down to his study, where it was just him and his thoughts under a dim light. He sat down at his desk with his head in his hands, and closing his eyes, he tried to relax. His thoughts ran wild, growing louder and louder with each passing second until he couldn't take it anymore. He flung his head up and shoved his desk, its wooden legs skidding against the floorboards. Did the kids hear that?

He sighed, running his hand through his hair. He saw a letter on the ground, having fallen off the desk, and leaned over to pick it up. Of course, the letter, he still hadn't open it, but he knew exactly what it likely entailed. 

He thought for a moment, then shot up and hurrying over to his desk, tore open the envelope and took out the letter. He flickered on his lamp, and quickly grabbing his chair he sat down. He skims through the words, eyes stopping at an interesting paragraph, _"we request your aide to help defeat a monstrous, dangerous beast we've failed to slay; a dragon."_ His eyes jumped back to the start of the letter; not even a proper introduction or apology, jumping straight to the point. 

He narrowed his eyes, thumbs crinkling the edges, but then a thought crossed his mind. 

They're a village, one richer than most, they have a doctor. If they have a doctor, then that means... but it's so far away, it'll take possibly weeks on foot. He re-reads through the letter, and shortly after the paragraph he read, it says; _"in return for your assistance, we offer you anything you wish. Diamonds, enchanted armor, enchantment books, anything you can dream of."_

He doesn't want, or desire any form of riches under his name. The only thing he needs from them is medical help, which they should be able to give up without a bat of an eye. There are still a few problems, such as a method of transportation, and letting them know his answer. It's been how long since he received it? There's a chance they've already found a brave hero to slay the dragon, and no longer require his help. He can't let that stop him, though. They owe him, after all.

He opened a draw and took out a blank piece of paper. Dipping his quill in ink, he began writing. Upstairs, he could hear his children's loud voices and their footsteps, and he could only wonder what they were up to; hopefully anything but trouble. He needed to get this done as soon as possible and send it out, but how? He did have an old parrot as a companion, which would deliver any of his letters, but he'd let it go years ago, around the time he first met Techno and Wilbur. Heck, he can't even be certain if it's still alive or not. If it is, it could be on the other side of the world as far as he knows. 

He takes the letter and reads what's written at the end of the letter, and there's a whistle attached. Turns out, there's been a messager parrot waiting around for him to blow the whistle, and hand it his reply. Convenient. He goes back to writing down his reply, he can't waste anytime.

He isn't sure how much time passes, he doesn't have a clock. He rewrites more than his fair share of sentences, he needed it to be perfect, entailing he'll accept the job in return for some medical assistance, but he can't desribe the problem. Tubbo's been having shortness of breath, and then he collapsed. It could be a multitude of things, ranging from something harmless to... life-threatening.

He shakes his head, describing the symptoms and acknowledging his uncertainty; hoping that they could come up with a diagnoses. Lastly, he requests a method of transportation, as they don't even have a horse. He ends the letter there, and leans back in his chair with a heavy sigh, running his hand through his hair. It's getting late, he knows that at least, so he should probably put everyone to bed.

He makes his way up the stairs and rubs his eyes, growing a little tired himself. To his surprise, the lights are all turned off and he can't hear anything. He glances at the clock hanging up on the wall and he had to take a double-take, it can't actually be twenty to two, as in am. He quietly walks to their respective bedrooms; Techno and Wilbur are both asleep in theirs, and when he reaches Tommy's, he can't see him very well so he flicks the light on. He had a sneaking suspicion he wouldn't be there, and he's right. 

He steps out, and heads to Tubbo's room right next door and he instantly spots him laying on the floor by Tubbo's bed, fast asleep with nothing more than a pillow and blanket pulled from his own bed. He can hear Tubbo's breathing better than before, he's rolled onto his side now, but still appears to be sleeping soundly. He contemplates whether to remove Tommy or not, if he wakes up he'll argue with him, and he might be a little annoyed in the morning. 

He chooses to leave him there, and in the morning, they'll share the same room again if that's what he wishes.

Morning comes so quick, it doesn't feel real. He awakes in his bed, the sunlight coming in through the curtains it blinds him. There's a gentle tug on his arm, and it snaps him awake. He turns his head, and can't believe what he sees, or more specifically who. 

"You need to stop sleeping in, I heard it's bad for you!" It's... Tubbo, looking a little pale, but he's standing before him, trying to drag him out of bed. Phil blinks, needing a moment to grasp the situation. He expected Tubbo to still be asleep, resting. He's overjoyed, sitting up he doesn't think twice before picking Tubbo up in his arms and hugging him. 

Tubbo is too confused to hug him back, and is lowered back onto the ground. 

"How are you feeling? What time is it, are you sure you don't want to sleep in a little more?" Phil asks, just to make sure, but Tubbo doesn't seem to understand his worry. His little ears twitch, and he tilts his head. 

His bright smile returns to his face, "I feel fine! Come on, you need to get dressed! Everyone's already up and Techno's gonna make us pancakes!" He exclaimed, tugging at Phil's sleeve before running out the room. He almost stumbled a little, but he seems fine, to the point it's almost suspicious. Had it really only been a fever, or something minor not to worry about? It's too early to tell, and he doesn't want to get his hopes up, but seeing Tubbo acting like his old self again feels like a miracle he can't ignore. He gets dressed, and comes down before they could make a mess of things.

As he expected, there's a slight argument going on between Techno and Tommy. "Let me do it! I want to make my own!" Tommy demands, attempting to nudge Techno aside so he can get to the frying pan. Techno isn't budging, and has already started cooking. Tubbo and Wilbur are sitting patiently at the kitchen counter, watching the dispute play out.

"Okay, okay! Stop pushing me, I don't need you messing things up!" Techno snaps, keeping Tommy at elbows reach. "These are for Wilbur and Tubbo, then I'll cook mine and after that I'll let you cook your own," he reasoned. With that, Tommy backed off with a pouty huff, arms crossed over his shoulders. Techno rolls his eyes sighs in relief, returning to cooking. 

Tommy grumbles under his breath, and as the floorboards creak under Phil's weight, Tommy's head whips around and it's as if he hadn't seen him in days. "Phil!" He cries out, and flailing his arms before running over, he unknowingly hit Techno's arm, causing him to almost let go of the fry pan and spill the pancakes all over the floor. Catching his breath at the save, he glared at Tommy who already left his side and ran over to Phil. 

Phil chuckled, ruffling Tommy's hair, then gave Techno an apologetic look. Techno shrugged his shoulders with a look of "whatever", and with Phil's attention still on him he snuck a concerned glance at Tubbo, and he did the same, his smile fading. Phil ruffled Tommy's hair again, before softly moving him aside and walked over to Tubbo and Wilbur, and took a seat next to Tubbo. He's in a happy mood, arms crossed on the counter, kicking his legs as he eagerly awaits his breakfast.

Wilbur gives Phil a look of uncertainty, and Phil turns to Tubbo and wants to say something, but is interrupted by his plate of pancakes arriving. It had an adorable smiley face drawn on with maple syrup, and he admired with it awe, he almost didn't want to ruin the masterpiece by eating it. "Thank you!" 

Phil stood up, giving Tommy his stool, and entered the kitchen. Techno handed Wilbur his as well, and going back to the stove he bumped into Phil, who placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'll handle it from here, I'm supposed to be in charge, after all. Can't let you do all the work," he said, flashing him a smile, and Techno looked a little unnerved for some reason. They both glimpsed at Tubbo, who talked with Tommy while eating his pancakes with a fork. He seems normal, that's a great thing, but...

Techno reluctantly sat down with his brothers, and Phil resumed cooking the rest. Tommy got so caught up chatting with Tubbo, that he completely forgot about making his own pancakes, only after Phil turned the stove off and gave him the ones he cooked. He got a little upset, as he should have expected, but he gave in with only a little push, turned the stove back on, and let Tommy cook his own, but of course with his help. He had to stand on a step in order to even reach the fry pan, and the pancake mixture got a little all over the place because he almost fell off, but it was an easy fix.

He... had a bad feeling about... well, everything, basically. He couldn't stop sneaking glances at Tubbo, just ' _what if'_ running through his head. He needed to be there to catch him if he slipped up, anything could occur at any given second. He was on edge, and he couldn't hide it well. Wilbur and Techno noticed, and stayed by Tubbo's side. There were a few times where he'd lose his breath, and it would send everyone except Tommy on a panic, only for him to quickly recover and resume his activity. 

So far, things were going alright. Phil didn't let Tubbo out of his sight, but he was so hyperactive alongside Tommy, refusing to sit still. He's a little kid, after all, he can't expect him to stay put, especially when Tommy's there urging him to join him. Could he have overreacted? He... can't tell. They were outside now, they wanted to play on the treehouse and Phil sat on the porch. 

Seeing Tubbo and Tommy run around with props, the biggest smiles on their faces as they laughed made his heart swell. Wilbur and Techno were also keeping a close eye on them so... it's... it's okay. He can relax, maybe he had overreacted after all and he had nothing else to worry about. 

So he closed his eyes, only for a moment.

"Phil!!" But Tommy's screaming jolted him awake, and he jumped to his feet to see Tubbo lying underneath the treehouse. He sprinted over to them, and his heart stopped as he looked down at Tubbo, shivering and coughing up blood. That's not a symptom of a fever. Phil scooped him up with shaky hands, and rushed inside. Tubbo coughed into his shoulder, tightly gripping onto his shirt, and Phil went into a panic. 

He doesn't know what to do.

What _can_ he do?

He doesn't have the faintest idea what's wrong. He should've known something would happen, even if things seemed alright. He laid Tubbo in bed, and he coughed a bit more blood into a tissue, then took shaky breaths. Phil went on his knees in front of him, his hands on his shoulders he looked him in the eyes. "Tubbo, breathe in, and out slowly. Can you hear me?"

Tubbo leaned into him, trembling hands grabbing a fistful of his shirt. "D...Dad..." 

His heart skipped a beat.

"Is... Dad... coming back... for me...?" 

He gently laid him down on the bed, and checked his breathing. He stopped coughing up blood, and slowly his eyes closed. He curled up into a small ball, and Phil pulled the blanket over him. 

"Tubbo!" Tommy shouted, running inside, he bumped into Phil who stopped him from going any further, his hands on his shoulders. Tommy leaned to the side and saw Tubbo on the bed, tears in his eyes. He reached out his hand and tried to push past Phil, but couldn't. Tears streamed down his face, and Phil silently picked him up and carried him out of the the room, but he kept trying to escape his hold and run back to Tubbo. 

"He needs to rest," Phil whispered, as Tommy calmed down. He placed him back down, and tears were still falling from his eyes. Phil wiped them away, and gave him another hug. "He's going to be okay, I promised," he told him, wiping away the rest of his tears. He stood up, and looked at Wilbur and Techno. He didn't have to say anything, nodding, and stepped back, but Tommy grabbed his sleeve. 

"W-where are you going?" He sniffled, rubbing his eyes with his arm. 

Phil sat his hand on his head, not even trying to force on a smile that'd obviously be fake. "I just need to get something from my downstairs study, alright? It'll only take a minute," he assured, and removed his hand. He stood frozen for a few seconds, watching as Tommy ran out of tears and his two older brothers comforted him. He stayed for a little longer, helping Tommy calm down before heading down to his study, where he slipped the letter he wrote into an envelope, and took the whistle attached to the other letter. 

Going back upstairs, he passed by Tommy, Techno and Wilbur who were together in the lounge room by the fireplace. He went outside without them noticing, and brought out the whistle. There's no guarantee it'll work, considering how long it's been. If it doesn't, then...

He blew the whistle, and a sharp tune echoed throughout the area. All he had to do was wait, and... hope for the best.

One, two, three... a whole minute passed before he heard the flapping of wings, and a chirp. He'd just started to lose hope, too, when he raised his head and spotted a bright blue parrot flying towards him, and perched on a tree branch in front of him. It wore a tiny chest plate embedded with a familiar emblem, assuring him he had the right bird. He looked down at the letter in his hand, and held it out to the parrot. "Can you... deliver this to your home?" 

The parrot tilted its head, and leaned forward and carefully took the envelope in it's claw, and flew off before Phil could do anything else. There's no telling how long it'll take, it could range from a day to possibly even a week. He has no other choice, he can't travel there on his own. Time will only tell whether luck is on their side.

Waiting until the parrot left his sight, he felt something hit his head. It started raining, and he went back inside. He snuck past his kids, made his way down the hall and quietly entered Tubbo's room without being noticed, and closed the door behind him. "Tubbo?"

Tubbo was awake, he sat up in his bed with his knees hugged to his chest. Phil walked towards him, a floorboard creaking underneath him, but Tubbo sat motionless. "Hey..." Phil whispered, reaching out his hand, but he froze when he heard Tubbo sniffle. The sound of thunder startled him, and at first he assumed Tubbo was scared for the same reason.

"D-Dad isn't coming back... i-is he?"

Silence filled the room, only broken by thunder outside followed by flashes of lightning. Phil's mind went blank, unable to come up with anything. His heart ached, hearing Tubbo sniffle and cry. He forced the following words out, he had to say something, anything; "Tubbo, I..." and yet, the words refused to come out, his voice strained and broken. 

A loud crash of thunder hit, and Tubbo flinched. He threw his arms around Phil, sobbing into his chest. Phil fell to his knees, holding him close and brushing the hair out of his face, he hushed him with a gentle voice. "I'm sorry, Tubbo," he wants to tell him it'll all be okay, he's here for him... but it isn't him who he wants. "I'm so, so... sorry." 


	11. Lost and Never Found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A risk and journey he must take, to save someone he holds dear. And can never, ever, afford to lose.
> 
> Song; I'll Keep Coming by Low Roar

A stagecoach arrives to take them in the morning two days later. Phil wakes everyone up early morning when he hears the neigh of a horse, tells them to pack some food and a change of clothes, and ushers them all outside as soon as they're dressed, not explaining what's going on. They're tired, and confused, but follow him. He wakes Tubbo up last, he's much more gentle with him. He's visibly weak and paler than before, and he's tired, so he carries him and he quietly rests against his shoulder. 

As he steps outside, he notices quite a sight; their treehouse that he built just yesterday must've been struck by lightning, and caught on fire. Not much of it remained.

Techno, Tommy and Wilbur were by the stagecoach, in other words a carriage with some differences, admiring the four gorgeous white and grey horses. Phil recognizes the driver, who meets his gaze, and tips his hat to his old friend. "Hbomb," he greets as he approaches, standing by his sons and the bright red carriage. 

His friend flashes him a warm smile, "it's good to see you again, old friend," he says. Though, Phil isn't smiling back, he instead lowers his gaze and tells his sons to hop inside and drop their luggage. They seemingly want to question him, they aren't sure what's happening, but they remain silent and only nod, following his orders. 

Phil's friend jumps down from his seat to pick up their suitcases, and throw them on the roof. He locks eyes with Phil for only a brief moment, and seeing the grim expression he wore, his own smile faltered. Phil entered the stagecoach, still holding Tubbo and sat him by his side, the two of them sitting opposite to Wilbur and Techno. Tommy reluctantly walks over to Phil's side, and takes a seat next to Tubbo, who's starting to wake up, opening his eyes a tiny bit as he leans against Phil. 

He hums, and rubs his eyes. "Where are we...?" He murmurs, sluggishly sitting up, his body tilts to the left and he rests against Tommy. His body is too heavy for him to move, and he struggles to keep his eyes open, barely able to make out Wilbur and Techno's worried faces. Phil reaches out his hand and gently brushes his hair. 

"We're taking a little trip, to a town I used to live," he informs at last, and everyone is bewildered by his statement, but keep their mouths shut. None of them can keep their eyes off Phil, who sadly peers out the open window at their lovely home. He built it in order to protect them, but it appears to have lost its magic touch. 

The man unfamiliar to the boys picked up the reins. Just that subtle movement alerted the team that their master was ready, but they waited, alert now.

“Ha!” he said quietly. That was all it took. The horses leaned into the harness as one, and the traces creaked quietly as they took up the weight of the carriage. Their ears swiveled forward as they began walking. At the subtle flick of the reins by the driver, they broke into a trot. 

If the carriage was driven by another, they would arrive at their destination days later, perhaps up to a week or more. With Hbomb pulling the carriage, however, it's a different story; he had sent out the letter late two nights ago, and he came as fast as he could. There are many obstacles between them, Phil did that on purpose, high hills, large spans of water and etc. He could count on Hbomb to find a shortcut, transcend anything that stands in their way. It's a shame he hasn't thought about him in so long.

"So," Hbomb speaks up with his booming voice, speaking clear as the morning sky. "About the medical help you requested, it's definitely doable, but may I ask why? You didn't describe the problem in the letter," he questions, straying his attention from the road ahead of him. 

Phil didn't answer, silently staring at Tubbo who had fallen back asleep. He slept in all day yesterday, only waking up to eat, drink and attend other necessities. Now, he's grown even weaker, and it'll only get worse. "It's not for me," Phil responds after a delayed pause, his voice low. He can practically see his friend's confusion, and he doesn't say a word back. Instead, he commands the horses to go faster.

Even though they're lucky with time, they have a long journey ahead of them. Instead of comfortable, warm beds to lay on, they only have the seats and each other to rest against. They'll take breaks for the horses, and they can jump out and stretch their legs, catch a breath of fresh air, but they'll have to hop back in and resume their trip. He never thought he'd find himself taking his children to a village he's visited before, especially this one. However, he doesn't have much of a choice. 

Their attempts at conversation are dry, the tension is so thick you could slice it with the dullest sword. There's no topic to discuss asides from the one hanging over their heads with dread, and even Tommy, the loudest out of them that always causes contagious smiles and laughter wherever he pops up, remains dead silent. 

It's a trying time kids their age shouldn't go through, but he can't change it. He can only give them a better future, and for once, not mess it up. Despite how quiet things were and how tired they were, anxiety kept them wide awake. 

It comes to the point where no one has said anything since they left, and before they know it, the carriage comes to a halt to give the horses a break. Phil's head is spinning from all the thoughts swirling around in his mind, giving him a headache, he pushes the door open and steps out. Wilbur and Techno both peer out the window, watching him, and Tommy has began to fall asleep. 

"Hbomb," Phil says, startling his friend a little as he feeds one of the horses an apple. "Could you hand me a suitcase?" He requests, and Hbomb nods, feeding the rest of the apple to the horse. After which, he climbs up onto the driver's box, and pulls down the suitcase Phil described, and he hands it to him. "Thank you," he says quietly, taking it, but Hbomb stopped him from going back inside.

"Phil," his voice is torn, it tears Phil from the inside, but he keeps his head low. "We're going to get you the help you need, I promise you. He's going to be okay."

How can he say that when he doesn't even know what's wrong?

It's a heavy, bitter feeling that fills his chest. Their fond memories flood his head, as he recalls how they first met and the times they spent together as close friends, until that fateful day. It's ironic, almost, how the same thing that ripped them apart is putting them back together. He can no longer smile at their past interactions. 

At the same time, now is not the time to wallow in old memories and sulk for things better left forgotten. "Thank you," his voice is barely above a whisper, "you don't understand how much this means to me. Just... please, hurry, and get there as fast as you can."

Hbomb nodded, a bittersweet look on his face, he climbed back onto the driver's box. "You can count on me."

Phil slides back into his seat, closing the door behind him and pulls the suitcase onto his lap. Techno and Wilbur stare, unable to disguise their prying eyes. He doesn't mind, opening the luggage he takes out a few things; the dark green scarf he knitted for Tommy as part of his costume, he'd recently stitched a red heart onto it. He wrapped it around his neck careful not to wake him, and took out another scarf, this one red with a green heart, and gave it to Tubbo. Next, he revealed Wilbur's tattered black beanie, which he had sewn back together and attached a blue heart, he handed it to Wilbur, who stared at it in his hands. Lastly, Techno's crown, but now, it was decorated with genuine jewels. Phil smiled at his look of awe.

Wilbur's smile faded, he sent Phil a puzzled glance. 

One last knight's quest.

There wasn't much for them to do, Phil brought some books along but they only really interested Techno, and Wilbur hummed a sad tune to himself as he peered outside at the many animals they'd pass. For the most part they slept, they couldn't do much else. 

The hours went by like minutes, the sun fell and the moon raised to take its place. They came to another stop, a quick break for the horses. Everyone except Phil, and Wilbur were fast asleep, but at the expense of his name Techno would jump from his seat. He constantly stirred in his unconscious state, mumbling inaudible words to himself, and looked anything but at peace. 

"Dad?" Wilbur whispered, careful not to disturb his brothers. 

Phil himself felt a little light-headed and sluggish, his vision blurring as he tilted his head to lock eyes with his son. He weakly pushed himself up and straightened himself, rubbing his sore eyes he quietly sighed. 

"Where are we going?"

He knew he'd say that. Even after being rejected the truth, they've been stuck in the same carriage for hours on end, with no clue where they're going. They deserve some kind of explanation, he knows, but at the same time he can't bring himself to mutter a single word. It's awful, the memories flooding his head, he just wants to close his eyes and disappear.

"Dad?"

But he can't. He's doing this for a reason, and he isn't turning back now. He opens his eyes and rubs his aching temple, and he asks himself, why it's such a difficult question. "It's... we're going to an old home of mine, a village that can help Tubbo," is all he can manage to say, but it should be enough. He studies Wilbur's reaction, as he takes it in. "We should arrive sometime around morning, and once there... you'll be staying with someone else. I... have some things to attend to," he whispered the last part, averting his gaze.

Wilbur reacted differently than he thought, rising from his seat with a loud, fearful voice. "What do you mean we'll be staying with someone else?! Why can't we stay with you?!" 

Realizing his volume, he quickly sat back down and checked if he woke Techno up. He tossed and turned a little, talking to himself a bit, but didn't open his eyes. Wilbur let out a sigh of relief, running his hand through his hair. When he re-focused on Phil, he had an icy cold glare, but he couldn't hide the fear behind his eyes, his shaking hands and quivering bottom lip. He's afraid, it'd be more concerning if he weren't. 

Phil can do little to reassure him, unable to reveal the whole truth. There's no point in faking a smile, or adressing him in a sweet voice. "Wil..." he paused, hearing Hbomb climb back up. "I'm sorry, but it's for your own safety, please believe me."

Hbomb slaps the reins, and they take off at a slow pace, steadily moving faster. 

He's never seen Wilbur so... ticked off before, especially at him. There were very rare times where he'd lose his temper at Tommy or Techno when they'd be fighting, and either break something, were just too annoying and loud, or got in the way of him. He's never once gotten genuinely angry at Phil before, ignoring those childish instances when he refused to give him the jar of cookies. He never had a reason to be upset with him to this degree. It... hurts, a lot more than he assumed it would. 

He hides his face, staring at his feet. There's nothing he can say, and for a couple of seconds there's just silence. 

"You're hiding something, and I... I don't understand why..." Wilbur's choked out, struggling to maintain a stern tone. "N-now... more than ever, you should be honest with us!" His voice breaks, and a crack runs down Phil's heart. The pain is beyond words. There's tears in Wilbur's eyes as he begs him; please.

It's bittersweet how he's grown, from the day they met to present time as they argue. 

A whole minute passes, and Wilbur patiently waits for a response, anything to give him reassurance and calamity. The tears in his eyes start rolling down his face, but he refuses to break eye-contact. If you told the younger Phil from a few years ago that he would settle down with four children, and retire from his dream of exploring the world at only twenty-five, he'd call blasphemy and play it off like some kind of joke. 

A family, belonging to him? Not one, but four kids to take care of on his own? Ridiculous, he'd call it. He wouldn't understand it, why he'd give up the dream he's had ever since a youngling to throw it all away and live peacefully with a family of four children. That's not what he wanted, in fact, it's the opposite. He'd shake his head, grumble, crack a grin and declare the statement false, and a terrible attempt at trying to fool him. He isn't that type of person, and frankly, never will be.

Maybe younger him has a point. Before he met Wilbur and Techno during that fateful day, the idea of settling down with children long before he's far too old to travel never crossed his mind, not once. He seeked a life of freedom, friendship and most of all adventure. It's all that occupied his mind, he didn't come prepared for children. He never learnt what it is to be a proper Father, it didn't interest him in the slightest, he never expected to be thrown into it without a simple warning, or instruction manual. 

He knew nothing, and yet he went along with it while his adventure remained his top priority. The fact he'd adopted Wilbur and Techno failed to register until they started learning how to speak with his help, and after being referred to as "dad", it all tumbled downhil from there. Reality hit him, and it quickly escalated with each incoming obstacle trying to separate them. He isn't fit out to be a dad, and yet, here he is. 

Perhaps becoming a Father hadn't been the right choice. But if not him, then who else would have taken them in?

Wilbur and Techno, Tommy, and Tubbo... they each deserved a loving, caring home where they could be themselves and grow. He's doubting whether he did a good job in offering that opportunity. Had he been a good Father, or could he have done more?

The burns on his arms are permanent, and they've yet to figure out how to fix Tommy's arm, if they can. Wilbur is still recovering from his fatal wound, and the guilt hangs heavy above Techno's head. Tubbo is only nine, he's been abandoned by his Father for an unknown reason and he's suffering from... Phil doesn't know what, but it's eating away at him. 

Until recently, he'd believed he did a good job. They were secluded from any danger, but in the end their separation from society is taking a toll. It's taking a toll on him, one accident after the other taking a huge toll on him, but his feelings towards his children have never changed. His urge and determination to protect them has only grown stronger. Even if it means returning to a certain place in his life that he'd rather avoid, for them. 

"Wilbur..." he says softly, a barely noticeable, sad smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Have I told you the story of Theseus?"

* * *

The stagecoach rides over a bumpy path, and it startles Phil awake, he's jolting out of his seat with a gasp. It wakes everyone up as well, including Tubbo who almost falls face first onto the floor, but both Phil and Tommy prevent him from slipping. The stagecoach pushes through over more rocks before reaching a halt, a rock must've gotten stuck in one of the wheels. 

Phil opens the door and jumps out. He walks over to the front, brushing the hair out of his face, "what's the problem now?" He asks, looking up at Hbomb, who's looking ahead and smiling brightly. 

He lowers his head and meets Phil's gaze, and it dawns on him before he can even get a word out. "No problem here, we've arrived!" He boasts. 

The doors instantly swing open at the announcement, and they all hop out to see it for themselves. They rush over to Phil's side, and Tubbo is walking with a slight limp, but he makes it to Phil on his own, who picks him up. He rubs his tired eyes, and it takes some time for his vision to clear up, but when he does, he can't believe what he sees.

"Well," Phil lightly laughs, "you've sure made some improvements."

A bell in the distance chimes, and the sound of chatter fills the air. Villagers casually traverse through their village, and the rising sun shines down on them beautifully, reflecting of the house rooftops. Everyone has a smile on their face, happily greeting each other as the day begins anew. It seems like a century ago when he last visited, it's a different village from the people, their lighthearted atmosphere and the overall appearance of their community. It's nothing like he remembers, and it's a good thing.

Hbomb appears behind him, slapping his back and breaking him out of his daze. "Welcome back, old friend," he said, his soft-spoken tone catching Phil off guard. 

He carefully set Tubbo down, and neither of them could tear their eyes away from the magnificent sight. He's back. 

He shook his head, snapping himself out of his thoughts he cleared his throat. "Uh, H, is... Sam still around?" 

"Is Sam..." Hbomb repeated, then it hit him, "oh! Yes, Sam lives a little far off from here, but he visits the village often, so you should be able to find him!" He said, leaning against his horses with his arms crossed over his chest. 

Phil smiled, and nodded, "thank you, H." He didn't wait for his friend, who had to deal with his horse eating his hair, mistaking it for hay. Phil lead his children into the village, Tubbo to the right of him holding his hand tightly. There were a lot of unrecognizable faces, and more people than last time, it had been years after all. 

His memory's blurry, but he can remember what the boy looks like. It'd been roughly six to seven years since he's seen him, back when he had been eighteen, and Sam had been eleven. Sam should be seventeen, his appearance has probably changed drastically. Apart from his dark green hair and scales, it could be rather tricky to find him in a crowd, if he's even here. 

"Phil?"

The masculine voice coming from behind froze him in his tracks. Tubbo squeezed his hand, and Phil turned his body to glance behind him, part of him already knowing who he'd see. Alas, he's correct. Sam's tall figure is peering over him, and he's always been tall for his age, but he must be around 6'7 as of now, with the same dark green hair and a gas mask covering his face. 

"Sam, it's─" Phil's interrupted by Tommy's screaming, he's hiding behind him genuinely freaked out. Phil rested his hand on top of his head, calming him down, he resumed their conversation. "Sorry about him, he... doesn't get much social interaction. None of them do, actually," he apologizes. 

Sam crouches down to Tommy's height, who's staring at him as if he's a horrifying monster. Sam's eyes glide over to Techno and Wilbur, his expression disguised by the gas mask it's honestly a bit unnerving, the others have to admit. He stands up, and Tubbo's the only one unafraid by his appearance, tilting his head in curiousity. "You... have kids."

Phil nodded, lightly pushing Tommy forward. "This is Tommy," he said, then gestured to Techno and Wilbur, "these are the twins, Wilbur and Techno." Lastly, Tubbo steps forward on his own, tilting his head back and staring up at Sam, "and this is Tubbo."

It's obvious none of them are humans, but Wilbur and Techno could pass for one if it weren't for their pointy ears. They're clearly not his biological sons, either. 

"So... where's the lucky lady?"

Or, that's what he thought. Maybe Wilbur and Techno can be mistaken for his biological sons, he supposes. Still, it caught him off guard, causing him to choke on his saliva and startled Sam and he came closer to lend a helping hand. Phil swatted him away, catching his breath he was okay. He wheezed, "no, Sam, they're all adopted." He's never said that to their faces, but they all remember being picked up by him. 

"Well... yes, but I still thought you had a wife? Or girlfriend?"

Okay, that hurt just a tad bit. He cleared his throat, straightening his posture and scratched the back of his head, he cracked a sheepish smile. "Yeah... about that, I've just been raising these guys on my own shortly after I left," he explained, looking down at Tubbo who held his hand. "And I was wondering, if you'd be able to take care of them for me. I'm sure you already know my duty here."

Though the mask hid his face, Phil could see his smile fading. He paused before responding, nodding his head, his tone turned stern. "Right... you can count on me. I'll take good care of them."

Fear splashed across Tommy's face, and he clung to Phil. "What? No! Don't leave us with... him!" He shrieked, "why not that old guy from before, huh? The one with the nice horses!" He cried. 

Phil crouched down to his height, taking him by the shoulders. "Hey, H isn't that old and he's... too busy to take care of you," he responded with a scolding undertone. The panic reflected on Tommy's face made him second guess his words, and he deeply exaled. "It's going to be alright, Tommy, I promise you. I would never do anything to put you in danger, you know that. Sam is an old friend of mine, I know for a fact that you'll be safe with him."

"Safe from what? Why can't we stay with you?"

Silence.

Phil's body acted subconsciously, moving on its own before he could process the thoughts, he hugged Tommy. His son didn't get to hug him back, he pulled away and stood up. Tommy's eyes widened in alarm were like daggers piercing through Phil, it hurt. "I'll be fine, that's a promise. And I never break promises." 

Tommy's head fell, his shoulders hunched he held back tears. He had Tubbo by his side, who did his best to comfort him, they'll be fine.

"Dad," he heard Techno say, and turning around to face him, Phil smiled.

"Take good care of your brothers for me, alright?"

Seeing tears in the corners of their eyes, they did their best to stay strong in front of their two younger brothers. They'll be okay on their own, and with Sam, he knows that for certain. This'll all go to plan, it has to.

It has to.


	12. I wanna give it all I've got, and I want nothing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil's former home is a peculiar place, the kids are starting to find out, and whether it's a place they enjoy visiting is an unanswered question.
> 
> Song; Theseus by The Oh Hellos

Sam has never once considered having children, he hasn't been around that many children, there's only two or three in the village and all he knows are their names. They're around Tommy's age, but he knows for certain they are nowhere near as troublesome or reckless. Still, perhaps he'll keep his distance from kids from now on after this... tiring encounter. 

"Tommy! Can't you sit still for one second?!"

It's one thing to take care of one pesky child, but four is something else, at least they're more tame. As soon as they reached his house, Tommy started throwing a childish fit, complaining about Phil not being around and none of them seem to like him that much, sadly. The first thing Tommy did was demand to know Phil's plans, which he couldn't reveal for reasons he cannot tell. He tried his best to act welcoming and kind to them, but Tommy hated it and only got more furious, and literally started heating up. 

Sam knew all the children were hybrids, Tubbo was a moobloom and Techno and Wilbur he only found out when Techno transformed into a different, piglin form to calm Tommy down. Who apparently, was a magma cube hybrid and on one hand, it's the worst decision to house someone so dangerous, but on the other hand, it's something Phil would do. He's just lucky his house isn't built out of wood or something flammable, or he'd be in a lot of trouble right now. 

Techno chased Tommy in circles around the house, meanwhile Tubbo sat in the corner with his bee plushie admiring his scarf, and trying to tell Tommy to calm down. Not that he'd listen, unfortunately. As for Wilbur, well, Sam lost sight of him almost as soon as they got in the door, he looked away for a split second and Wilbur had just vanished from his side. It's an absolute nightmare, and he has no idea how to solve it. He's... really not good with kids, but he had no other choice.

Phil hadn't told him about Tubbo's condition, but he quickly picked up on how he couldn't run after Tommy and easily ran out of breath. His skin was quite pale and overall he seemed weak, wanting to sleep a lot and at first, he assumed he was just tired after the long trip. The often concern he saw from his siblings, mostly Wilbur and Techno convinced him otherwise. He knew from the beginning Phil didn't need the doctor's treatment for himself, but it didn't fully dawn on him until he realized the truth. 

Despite his worsening condition, Tubbo kept a smile on his face and appeared the happiest out of them all. Though, it's because his siblings are more focused on being concerned, for one reason or another. He needs to take good care of them while Phil's away, like he promised. He owes Phil one, after all, a thanks to how he protected him all those years ago, he still hasn't forgotten and he never will. 

"Tommy, I'm going to tell Phil you're being a brat if you don't stop this bloody instant!" At this point, Tommy continued running away from Technoblade not to annoy him, but because he's genuinely scared of him catching up. They've knocked a few things over in the process, but thankfully nothing broke. Yet.

At long last, Techno had Tommy backed into a corner. He had nowhere else to run, curling into a small ball his body began shaking as Techno neared him. His brother glared daggers at him to the point it intimidated Sam a little, and he tried to step in, but he only managed to take one step closer, stopping when Tommy looked his way. Without warning, his face shifted into one of anger, balling his small hands into fists. "I don't understand why Phil left us with you! Why couldn't we go with him, why are we stuck with you?!" He snapped, his hair on fire. 

His words made his heart ache, watching as lava tears ran down his cheeks. They're in a new, unfamiliar area and they don't know what's going on, they're worried for their only parent and it's understandable to be afraid. Somehow he hadn't taken that into account earlier, but seeing how emotional Tommy was getting, it became clear. Not to mention they're hybrids, in a village practically full of pure blooded humans they're outcasts, he noticed how Wilbur and Techno would try to shield themselves along with Tubbo and Tommy from the public's view. 

Techno calmed down, changing back into his human form. They're only kids, Wilbur and Techno at the oldest are just thirteen. 

"Hey," Sam said softly, and Tommy whipped his head to lock eyes with him, behind the gas mask. "It's alright, I promise you Phil is going to be okay. He's strong, you know that, don't you? He's the strongest person I know, you have nothing to worry about. It's going to be fine, he's going to come back and you're safe with me," he reassured, carefully making his way towards him at a slow pace. 

Tommy's hair reverted to normal, and both the frustration and fear faded from his face. Sam smiled at that, and when he came closer, he crouched down to Tommy's height. "I'm an old friend of Phil's, you can trust me. I promised to keep you guys safe, and that's what I'm going to do. So everything's going to be alright─" 

He shouldn't have reached out his hand. It set Tommy off and the next thing he knew, his mask came flying off his face and crashed into the wall. Tommy immediately regretted his action, gasping, he pulled his hand back to his chest and his eyes were once again wide with fright. "I-I'm sorry," he apologized in a shaky voice. 

Samm felt around his face, and softly sighed. "It's alright," he assured, smiling calmly, he resisted smiling more when he saw Tommy's reaction. He probably should have told him earlier, but they were in public. 

"Whoa!" Tubbo broke the silence, running over with his bee plush, he gawked at Sam's face. Their assumptions about him being human were proven wrong, he had green scales decorating his face and his eyes reminded them of a creeper. They were each left speechless. 

Their surprise turned into amazement, and he should've known they'd be more comfortable with him this way. "Your eyes are so cool!! What are you?!" Tommy gushed, his attitude towards him changing completely, but Sam couldn't be annoyed for even a second. He found his change in demeanour a little amusing, but mostly relieving. He won't have to deal with him going on a temper tantrum anymore. 

He heard a familiar pluck of a string that snapped him out of thoughts, and glanced over his shoulder to see Wilbur again, with his old guitar in his hands. Upon being spotted with it, Wilbur tensed up and froze on the spot. "I, uh... can... explain?" He smiled sheepishly, raising his shoulders. He couldn't explain why he had Sam's old guitar in his hands, that he casually found leaning against the wall collecting dust. 

Sam chuckled, by chance these kids aren't so bad after all.

* * *

The village had changed quite drastically, if he didn't know any better, he'd assume it's a different place entirely. It's an improvement, staring up at the cloudy sky he blocks the sun's raze with his hand, and lets out a small sigh. All around him there are people attending to their daily routines, casually strolling through their beloved home. He's received a few glances and quick, sneaky glimpses at him, some out of curiousity at the new visitor, and others left astonished by his return. There were murmurs and whispers he couldn't piece together, and could only guess the context, the looks sent his way didn't help.

How much has he changed during the recent years? Sam recognized him without seeing his face, but he supposes they were closer than most. He took Sam under his wing as a youngling, and in the short amount of time Phil occupied the village they grew close. Resembling a father and son relationship, considering Sam is an orphan and one time he slipped up and called him "Dad", he profusely apologized non-stop afterwards. It's a shame he didn't see him grow into the fine young gentleman he is today, but he had no choice but to leave him, and his home behind and set his sights on somewhere new. He honestly expected to be resented for his absence, but thankfully not. 

He gathers the citizens would want to forget his face after his goodbye, left him in the past as a bitter memory, and he'd done the same; erasing all the times he cherished. They were all coming back to him now, certain scenes playing out before him in his mind. His heart cried, but he couldn't resist a painful smile. 

He sat down at the old water fountain, happy to see it still standing and took in the fresh morning air. 

"Phil, is... is that really you?" A shaky, feminine voice spoke.

He cracked open his eyes and lowering his head, came face-to-face with a young girl no older than fifteen with long, curly white hair and dressed in the kind of clothing that belongs to a pirate. His eyes widened at the dashing red jacket and his jaw dropped. Locking eyes with the girl, there behold he knew exactly who she was. "Puffy!" He exclaimed, jumping to his feet to give her a suffocating bear-hug that trapped her in place. "Oh, it's good to see you!" 

Her body relaxed, and she hugged him back, resting her head in the crook of his arm. "It's good to see you, too," she mumbled, her voice barely audible. Like Sam, Phil knew her when she was only a little girl at eight years old. She's a sheep hybrid, the same as Sam, except he's a creeper hybrid. He's glad to see they're both doing well on their own after he left. "How are you? What are you doing here?"

Her pointy, fluffy sheep ears twitch, and her hands are on her hip, leaning to the side and tilting her head. She's grown into her horns, like he told her she would, they're long and curled just above her ears. "Well, old man? Why didn't you tell me you were visiting? It's been, what, seven years? Rude much," she playfully punched his arm.

Phil paused, knowing he'd instantly wipe the beautiful smile off her face, reminding him of the young girl he left behind. Her ears drooped and her smile already started to fade at his silence, seeing how his eyes crinkled and his smile became strained. "You're... oh, don't tell me you're here because..." she trailed off.

He gave her a weak smile that meant nothing good. Her eyes narrowed, staring at him in disbelief, she crinkled her nose and her brows creased. "Puffy," he couldn't get another word out, she balled her hands into fists and took half a step forward, catching him off guard, and jabbed a finger at his chest. 

"No! You're back for the same thing that got you exiled in the first place! This place might've changed, but it doesn't change what they did to you!" She growled, jaw clenched, she's acting less like a humble sheep and more of a disgruntled wolf. "Why did you accept their plea? I plan on taking that dragon down on my own, and I still can, and save you the trouble!"

"Puffy."

"What did they offer you? You never cared for riches or anything of the sort. Tell me, what, what was so irresistible that you couldn't resist?" The frustration in her voice ceases near the end, her hand falling to her side. Her brows furrow, and she opens her mouth to go on, but the words get stuck in her throat.

"I'm not doing this for me, I don't want anything they have to offer in return. All I need is some medical support, and if this is the only way I can get it, then I don't see the problem." His voice is uncharacteristically stern, accompanied by a serious expression it causes Puffy's body to stiffen. She gulps, her shoulders slumping, her prior confidence abandons her. 

His expression softens, leaning his face into his palm. "It's not for me, I'm fine. It's... for someone else, a kid I... adopted not long ago," he informs. "He's one of four, they're all hyrbid and no, none of them are biologically mine."

Puffy is stunned, but seven years later half-way through his twenties, did she really expect him to be living alone? 

"His name is Tubbo, and he's only eight. He came down with a fever, but then it started getting worse and he coughed up blood. They offered me anything in return, I couldn't say no." He's yet to receive any updates on the exchange, unsure if he needs to slay the wretched dragon first, he'd been hoping the treatment would be immediate, or at least a diagnosis. On the other hand, he hasn't made his presence known.

Bowing her head, Puffy avoided eye contact. "I... apologize, I had no idea. I did hear something about Sam walking around with four unfamiliar children, I'm guessing they're yours?" He nodded. She rubbed the nape of her neck, shuffling her foot against the rough stone pavement. "I see..."

She sat down beside him, and he did the same. Resting her chin on her hand, she stared into the distance in silence for some time, then groaned and brushed her bouncy hair out of the way. "If it's that serious, they should be treating him straight away," she grumbled. Phil wanted to respond, but he cut himself off as Puffy stood up. "I know where the dragon lives. It's den is in that mountain there, off in the distance," she points ahead, straight at a towering mountain he climbed up once. From here, he can see an opening around the middle of it where the den must be.

She sharply turns to Phil, a determined look on her face she presses her arm against her chest. "Whenever you're ready, I'll take you there and we'll defeat it together. What do you say?" She suggests, extending out her hand. 

He glances between her and her hand, and a hefty sighs escapes his mouth. "It's too dangerous─"

"Excuse you? Did you forget who raised me?!"

There's no response.

"That's right, you!" She points an accusing finger at his face, and he blinks. He lowers his head, and rubs his temple.

"Puffy, I was only here for little over a year..." he mumbles. The next thing he knows, he's shoved into the water fountain with a large splash. He lifts his hair out of his eyes to see Puffy standing before him, one leg up on the water fountain's barrier. 

"That doesn't matter! You taught me how to be strong, how to use a sword, and I've only gotten better since! If anyone can take down that dragon, it's you and me. So, come on, old man, trust me on this one, for old time's sake," she basically demands, holding out her hand once more for him to take. He has to admit, he's astounded at how much she's grown, but he can still see the young, confident girl shining through her, and he cracks a grin and firmly grips her hand.

He's proud at how far she's come. One word he commonly used to describe her in the old days was assertive, although there were times where she needed his reassurance and protection. With his help, she grew more proud in herself, no longer a feeble sheep who cowered from the public's gaze, she knew what she wanted in life. To explore the world, just like him, on a pirate ship sailing the seven seas. 

Grabbing onto him with both hands and using all her strength, she successfully pulled him out of the water fountain. She stifled a snicker with fail, watching him attempt to squeeze the water out of his clothes. "S-sorry about that, I uh, underestimated my strength," she apologized, cracking a meek grin he rolled his eyes at.

"'S fine, I guess," he shrugs, giving up. "Shows just how strong you've gotten," he compliments, hands by his hips he grins right back at her, and her eyes sparkle in delight. 

"Yeah!" She beamed, unintentionally sending a punch that crashed into his gut. "Uh, I didn't mean to do that, I swear!!" She freaked, whilst Phil clutched the sore area, hunched over in pain.

"It's... fine..." his knees gave in, and he plopped down onto the water fountain. He raised his head to the sky and his eyes fluttering open, admired the clouds and peaceful blue. The world is a beautiful and magical place indeed, filled with endless wonders as far as the eye can see, the possibilities are limitless. Even if he thought he'd explored it all, on second thought, he'd only witnessed a small part of it. There's so much to be discovered in a life time that even when his travels come to an end, there'll be more, waiting for a curious stranger to stumble upon it's spectacular creation.

Puffy sat down next to him, hands in her lap, she didn't seem to understand his fascination with the sky. Then, her eyes half-closed, and her mouth formed an "o". She sneaked a glance at him, and he waited patiently for her to speak her mind. She awkwardly cleared her throat, shoulders raised. "So... you have kids now, that's new. When did that happen?" She asked with a little, dry laugh.

Birds flew above Phil's head, soaring through the air with ease. He hummed, the corner of his mouth crinkling and drooping into a frown, he dropped his gaze to the floor beneath his feet. "I found the piglin twins, Wilbur and Techno four years ago in the Nether. They're fourteen now. Roughly a year later, I found Tommy, a magma cube hybrid at six years old, and some weeks ago Tubbo turned up unannounced at our house, sleeping under a tree. He's eight, and a moobloom hyrbrid," he noted.

"So you gave up travelling?"

He huffed, running his fingers through his hair, it's getting sort of long. "Uh-huh, the villagers were rude and unnaccepting to Wilbur and Techno, I gave them both a potion that allowed them human forms, taught them how to speak and everything beforehand. But after Tommy came along, it became a hassle dragging them along everywhere," he answered, his eyes skimming over the town square. "I wanted to give them a happy childhood, you know? Hybrids don't exactly get the best treatment around these parts, but it looks like things have changed," he cuts himself short, and flashes a smile at Puffy, who blinks, and returns it proudly.

He can't help but ruffle her hair, like he used to all those years ago and she laughs, pushing his hand off after the first few seconds. "Come on, stop that."

He snickers, removing his hand. His smile doesn't last for much longer, averting his attention back to their surroundings and residents. "It was going well, for about three years... but then everything went downhill, it was one incident after another and now, we've ended up here. Never thought I'd see this place again, but... it's good to know you and Sam are doing alright." 

Puffy tucked her fingers under her hand, and her eyes were fixated on him, to the point it became unnerving. "Uh... Puffy, are you─"

"I'm sorry! I just watched when they exiled you, I should have done something!" She shouted, catching the attention of passersby. 

Phil's lips parted to speak, but not the faintest noise came out. He pressed his lips into a thin line, clasping his hands his knuckles turned white.

Puffy's body trembled, tears filling her eyes as she glared at the ground. "I was too scared to do anything, I didn't want to be punished, too! By the time I mustered up the courage, you were already gone, and I couldn't find you!" She wailed. Tears escaped her eyes and rolled down her face, she sniffled and her breath hitched. "F-for years, I regretted it, not knowing where you went, if you were okay... I wanted to leave this place behind, too, for what it did to you, but I have nowhere else to go."

Phil stopped her from going on any more, throwing an arm over her shoulder he pulled her into a caring embrace she reluctantly gave into. "It's okay, you were only eight," he comforted her, stroking her hair. "It's in the past, and besides..."

"There's nothing you could have done."

It's the early afternoon when he arrives at Sam's home, he needed Puffy's instructions in order to find his way. They've decided their plan of action, tomorrow they will both head to the dragons den and take it down, but he'd be lying through his teeth if he claimed he wasn't hesitant on Puffy's role. She's fifteen, though she claims she's practically a grown adult. She can clearly handle herself, he can't give himself all the credit for teaching her, but she's certain she'll be fine.

Sam house is much further out from the village than Phil originally predicted, he knew Sam had a talent in redstone engineering, but this is beyond bizarre. He stood outside of a stone wall part of a mountain, and it took him longer than he'd like to admit to figure out how to enter the base. If he didn't remember Sam's interest in redstone, who knows how long he would've been standing out there for.

"Kids, I'm back!" He announced, the stone wall coming down to reveal Wilbur sitting in the corner of the large base with a guitar, strumming out of tune with Techno sitting beside him. Tubbo stood by Sam, who had taken his gas mask off and appeared to be panicking, and as for Tommy...

"Tubbo! Look what I've got!" Phil almost let out a scream when Tommy sprinted past him, entering the base with something in his hands, but Phil only caught a glimpse of orange and a tail. Tubbo seemed delighted by whatever he had to show him, and Phil warily entered the house, trying to see it for himself. Tommy held out the object to Tubbo, and it's then that Phil realizes it's no object, but a live animal and not only that; but a fox. 

Sam and Phil shared the same, bewildered reaction. 

"Why do you have a fox?!" They shout, but Phil's voice is overshadowed by Sam's. 

Tommy sticks his tongue at Sam, the fox wiggles in his loose grip and launches out of his hands without warning, and he screams. The fox scurries around the house while it's being chased by Tommy, Tubbo and Sam. It knocks over multiple things, and not all of then are saved in time. The scene is a mix of screaming, shouting and objects crashing onto the floor, all whilst Wilbur and Techno watch on and practice guitar. 

It's... something, is all Phil can come up with, entering the base that's quickly turning into a mess and a nightmare. 

"I've got 'em!" Tubbo announces, holding the fiesty fox in his arms, but it's body is dangling and it desperately tries to escape again. "Can we keep him? I want to name him Squeeks! Please?" It's nice to see him being active again, since he lacked energy and wanted to do nothing but sleep the last time he saw him, but not in this way. He genuinely feels bad for Sam, he's spent no more than a couple hours with these kids and he can only imagine what other mischief they ( Tommy ) got up to.

"Oh, hey Phil!" Wilbur chimes, ignoring the chaos that went down to the right of him. All eyes on Phil, the fox slips out of Tubbo's grip and makes a dash for freedom. If Phil didn't pick it up by the fluff on it's neck, it'd be long gone. Tubbo's face lights up at his heroic deed, running over with his arms open wide, whereas Tommy can't share his glee, his body growing stiff he gulps. 

"Hey... Phil."

"Hello, Tommy."

To give Sam a break, he brings everyone outside for some fresh air, and there's nothing for them to break out here. He seems to have made the right decision, there's much more to do outside so they have their hands full, allowing Sam and Phil to relax and watch on from a safe distance. Wilbur is under the shade of a tree, learning how to play guitar with Sam's guidance. Meanwhile, Tubbo and Tommy are racing the fox that has seemed to grow fond of the two, and Techno is... watching out for his siblings without their knowledge.

He cherishes this rare moment, where there isn't too much going on, there's no fighting or anything dangerous going on. It's rather peaceful, which, unfortunately isn't very common. Especially not these past few weeks...

Keeping an eye on Tommy and Tubbo specifically, Sam's words rang through his head. _"They're worried for you, Tommy especially. I understand why you don't want to tell them, by what you told me they've been through enough already. But... give them some kind of reassurance. I know you're not much of an open book, but they're your kids, Phil, and they care about you."_

He never doubted that for a moment. He's said things are going to be alright plenty of times, yet something is keeping them from believing him. Can they hear the caution in his voice, how he doubt his own words? Or can they see it in his face, or how he acts hesitant and extra careful. Either way, they know.

But they don't know everything.

Not yet, they don't.

"Techno," he adressed his son, sitting on a tree stump not far to the left of him. His head perked up and he turned his head to face him, staring with a curiosity. Phil tilts his head in Tommy and Tubbo's direction, and he gets the message. He's off, and less than a minute later he's back carrying both of them under his arms, the fox trailing behind him. 

"Put me down!" Tommy demands, visibly heating up, and Techno does exactly that without hesitation. Tommy growls and opens his mouth to yell at his older brother, but the fox hurrying to his side and cuddling up on his lap calms him down. He grumbles under his breath, glaring daggers at Techno who rolls his eyes. "Stupid."

Tubbo shifts his focus from calling the fox named "Squeeks" to Phil, and tilts his head. "Umm, why are we here?" He asks, tilting his head upward to lock eyes with Techno, who offers a shrug as a response.

Phil thinks over it, twice, thrice, and settles with his decision. He makes sure he's comfortable in his sitting position, legs crossed, and clears his throat to gain their attention. Techno and Tommy pause their glaring competition and snap their heads in his direction. 

"Let me tell you the story of Theseus," he begins, sitting upright the sunlight's ray shines down through the trees on him at a perfect angle that almost leaves them in awe. Tommy, however, is unimpressed, resting his chin on his hand he rolls his eyes.

He sits up and crosses his arms over his chest with a huff, "Tubbo and I have already heard this story," he complains. 

"Oh?" Phil quirks a brow, but his smile gives him away. The sun's gaze brightens, and a gentle breeze blows through the tree leaves and their hair, disrupting their focus. 

"I don't think you've heard this version."


	13. When you finally find it you'll see how it's faded

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A tale retold
> 
> ( a short chapter, but the next, much longer one will come soon! )
> 
> song; everything says from adventure times

Theseus had been a courageous, young man seeking adventure and thrills life has to give. He wandered the endless Earth with ever-changing companions, accompanying him and eventually heading down their own path every time. All on his own, he discovered a humble village that welcomed him with open arms, but he didn't plan to stay for long. 

He'd been to many establishments similar to this previously, he only stayed for a night or two though, and for an unknown reason, he became attached to the small community. He still had the desire to explore the world, he still had so much to see, but on the other hand, resting for a little couldn't do any harm. So, he remained in the village, he built his own house instead of staying in a vacant one like per usual. He got to know the residents he would have to say goodbye to, and they happily accepted him into their community, treating him like one of their own.

Days, weeks went by in a flash, and the adventure he seeked faded in comparison to the lovely settlement he moved into. He knew everybody by name, and he knew them well, there were even two kids that he grew quite fond of. They looked up to him, claiming he was "cool" when he told them his travels, exaggerating a little. He promised to take them on one sometime, when they're older. 

They were orphans, and so he made it his duty to take care of them, bring them food, make sure they had a place to stay, etc. He taught them how to defend themselves against mobs, and they viewed him as a father figure. 

There were never many problems in the village. The only downfall were their hateful opinions towards hybrids, thankfully not everyone shared the same idea, but over time more people moved in, and the community's view drastically changed. 

They found a way to deal with it, he had room in his home for two more, and he worked extra hard in order to provide for them. He avoided conflict, wishing to live peacefully and befriend as many people as he could, but would not hesitate to do what is necessary. For his sake, and the kids'. 

Foolish Theseus had assumed they'd solved the worst of their problems, and he did, for a handful of months. Things came tumbling down in an abrupt fury, snowballing down and causing an avalanche no one was aware of until the very last moment. 

A monster attacked their village, viciously tore it apart mercilessly. The villagers fled, not a single one of them daring to try and save their home they spent years on, and made so many precious memories. They threw away their treasured home without batting an eye.

But Theseus refused to do the same.

He fought, and he fought well. He did whatever he could to avoid destruction, but buildings collapsed and things fell apart all within the blink of an eye. It fuelled his anger, and ignoring the pleas to abandon everything and escape with his life, he refused to stop fighting until his very last breath, or the monster falls.

Fate almost chose both.

The monster hit the ground with a thud that echoed throughout the vicinity like an earthquake. Theseus had successfully slayed the wretched beast and saved the villagers and what little remains of their dear village, their houses destroyed. In return, Theseus had given up his wings as a sacrifice, they were forcefully ripped from his back, never to grow again. 

He received a title for his victory; "The Angel of Death". 

They feared him. No one had ever came across someone so powerful, an angel characterised by his wings, but without them, what was he? The sight of the "friendly, orderly" man soaked in both the blood of the enemy and his own haunted the resident's nightmares. Their view towards him had changed, and by the time it came to light, time had ran out. 

They exiled him, either that, or death, but no one had the courage nor strength to uphold the warning. 

They foresaw a fight, he would demand they take back their decision or else. He openly spoke about his shock and confusion in a gentle tone that caught the villagers off guard; he regarded them as his friends, his allies. They were reluctant, but stood their ground.

Theseus didn't seek conflict, not against those he viewed as acquaintances; family, even, people he could trust. He had given up his wings for their safety, and in return they betrayed him. At least they had sympathy, and let him take his items, but he chose not to. 

With reluctance, Theseus bid farewell to the village that had half of it ruined. He parted ways with the children he cared for, leaving without any form of goodbye, they would most definitely try to accompany him. It is not their punishment to suffer from, however, an unsatisfactory life they'd have if they joined him. 

Theseus left without a choice, not daring to look back, he assured himself he'd be fine without them. He'll find another village; but he doesn't want to. He'll build his own home in the middle of nowhere, but no matter how beautiful the scenery, he's alone. 

He's always alone.


	14. Our mistakes, they were bound to be made ( but I promise you i'll keep you safe )

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Every story has its beginning, and an end. 
> 
> song; i'll keep you safe by sleeping at last

The sun has yet to rise. 

It's a comforting sight, sitting outside waiting for the sun to appear in the sky and light the way. The kids are still asleep, as they should be, and so is Sam, though he only passed out a couple hours ago. Phil told him his plans to slay the monstrous dragon, with or without Puffy he isn't certain on, and Sam insisted on coming along. It's one thing having to look out for Puffy, and although Sam is older, he'd rather not take that risk.

Sam pressed on, and their conversation only ended when Sam was too tired to continue, and against his better judgement, he couldn't stay up any longer. 

It is the beginning of a new day, and there's one thing he has to do. Sam promised to work on getting Tubbo the treatment he needs, today hopefully. They still don't know the problem, but they should be able to diagnose him and get him the medicine required. They're in good hands with Sam, admittedly they got into a bit of trouble while he was away, but they've learnt their lesson, and seem more comfortable with Sam after discovering his creeper hybrid genes. 

Phil is standing outside of the base, secretly tucked away within a mountain, and watches the sun rise, granting light. He cracks a smile, blocking the sun's harsh ray with his hand, he has a long day ahead of him. He checks his pockets, he has everything he needs, a few strength potions he brewed with Sam's help, potions of swiftness, and his weapons all heavily enchanted. He takes out a diamond sword and holds it out in front of him, the light bounces off it as he tilts the sword, accidentally blinding himself with a beam of light.

He curses under his breath and the sword almost slips out of his grip, but he holds it tight. So it's been a while since he's handled a sword, mobs weren't a problem for them, they had plenty of torches laid out around their home illuminating the way, and they know not to stay out late. Techno and Wilbur can handle themselves, a brainless zombie is in no means a threat.

It would've helped to practice his combat skills just a little, but he doesn't have time to waste. The dragon hasn't attacked in an unusual amount of time, there's no telling when it could come swooping down and terrorize the village, endangering his friends and family. It's better to get this out of the way as soon as possible, and that's what he plans to do.

He sighs, sliding his sword into it's sheath attached to his hip. He peers over his shoulder and takes one last look at the hidden base, where his children are still sleeping peacefully, with no knowledge of his goal. It's for their own good, they'd only worry and make a fuss over his safety, but nothing would change his mind. For Tubbo, no risk is too great.

His smile replaced by a look of determination, he turned on his heel and began making his way down the small hill to the village, and past that, the mountain which the dragon rests. Puffy has proven how strong she's gotten, and she has the confidence in herself that she can do this without him needing to worry about her, but the best option is if he does it alone. The minimal amount of risks, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if Puffy returned home with the smallest scratch. 

He may be just a bit anxious, but anyone would be in this situation, those who claim to have no fear and run head first into danger are idiots with a death wish. What is he, then? A hero? Far from it, he doesn't want that title anywhere near him. He is no more than a humble man, doing what he can for the sake of those he cares about.

He can only pray it's enough.

Sam knew Phil had long left as soon as he awoke and figured it was morning. There isn't much sunlight getting in the base, or any at all, actually, instead they had torches and other methods of providing light.

Going on his own, the old man must have a death wish, leaving all four of his children in his care. He obviously isn't going to let Puffy tag along, though she likely believes that's the case, it's far too dangerous, he's always cared for them like his own kids, or younger siblings, it's understandable why he wants them to stay put. They're still young and have a long life ahead of him, but so does he, and he has people, kids who depend on him and are waiting for his return. Poor kids, they don't have a clue, and Sam swore to keep it a secret.

What is he supposed to tell them once they wake up, and realize he's missing again? 

He has his hands full, and this is going to be a long day. For Phil, though, he supposes it's not too bad, for him, he would do anything. They were only by each other's side for a little over a year, but he remembers it being much, much longer. The time the three of them spent together is precious, and he holds those memories close to his heart, Phil took care of them well, especially when hatred against hybrids started an uproar. Now, he's taken in four hybrid children of his own. 

He owes Phil. Even if he didn't, as pesky and troublesome these kids are, they deserve happiness and a fulfilling life. Tubbo especially, who he's taking into the village today, but he'll have to bring everyone along anyways. They promised Phil whatever his heart may desire, and he's doing the whole village a huge favour, so they better give him what he deserves in return. 

He spent the majority of yesterday building rooms for the kids, even though they said they wouldn't mind just sleeping on randomly placed bed anywhere in the base. Despite their reluctance, they were each thrilled with the end results. 

He checked on Tubbo first, who politely requested he shared a room with Tommy. He's been doing well, thankfully, asides from appearing a little weak. He constantly assured Sam that he was feeling completely fine with a bright smile whenever he noticed his attention on him, but the news that he'd coughed up blood was permanently trapped in Sam's mind. 

He steps onto the pressure plate, automatically opening the door. "Tubbo, Tommy, you guys awake yet?" He greeted as he stepped inside. To the left of him, Tommy is clearly still asleep, mumbling incoherently to himself as he hugs his pillow. He looks so peaceful, a comical comparison to how loud and reckless he normally is, bouncing off the walls and causing chaos. 

He moves his attention to Tubbo, who's silent. "Tubbo?"

His back is facing him, and he doesn't move. Must be a heavy sleeper. He gently nudges him, "hey, Tubbo, it's morning. I'm taking you and your brothers to the village," he says, but there's no response. He lightly shakes Tubbo, "I know you're tired, but you have to get up."

He waits a few seconds, but there's no reply, he doesn't move a muscle. He's weak, so it makes sense he would sleep in as much as possible, but the sooner they get this sorted out then the better. "Tubbo, come on," he nudges him again, and Tubbo rolls onto his back. He lays there, completely still, his mouth is shut and his chest doesn't move.

Sam outstretches a hand to check Tubbo's pulse; it's still there, but he can hardly feel his heart beat. 

Oh.

Tommy woke up to the sound of footsteps and muffled noises that faintly resembled voices. He groaned, rubbing his eyes and sat up in his bed. "What's going on...?" He murmured, his eyes adjusting to the light. He turned his head, and his heart stopped. "T...Tubbo?" 

Sam held Tubbo in his arms, his eyes were closed and he appeared to be asleep. The way Sam's acting made his blood run cold, shouting something but Tommy can't hear him, he's obviously distressed but Tommy doesn't understand why. What's going on? Is there something wrong with Tubbo?

Why isn't Tubbo opening his eyes, why isn't he waking up?

Why isn't he waking up?

* * *

Climbing a mountain is harder than he remembers it being, has it really been that long? He used to travel the world on foot, crossing treacherous rivers and getting over mountains like this with ease, but maybe they weren't as tall as he recounts them being. It's making him wish he'd brought a walking stick or something to help him, but alas nothing he has can support him in this, he's saving the potions for the big fight. 

On second thought, challenging a fire-breathing dragon near the peak of a mountain doesn't seem like the best idea in retrospect. He can't let it get anywhere near the village, however, so technically, up here is the safest place, while at the same time is far from it. He's the only one who's up for the task, he doesn't even live here anymore, but they went to such desperate measures to send him a letter practically begging for his assistance. How did they find where he lives, anyways?

It doesn't matter much now, he'll slay the dragon, get the treatment for Tubbo and swiftly return home to their normal, calm life style. 

He stops, standing on the mountain's edge. Once this is over, will things really be normal again? So many disastrous things have occured in such short notice, what makes him think the bad luck spree won't continue? 

He shakes his head, those thoughts are weighing him down at this moment, so he pushes them away and pushes on. One foot in front of the other, he takes a steady pace, walking up the mountain which thankfully, isn't too steep. It's enough to almost slip him up a couple of times, and he swore his heart is going to jump out of his throat if he doesn't be more careful, but it doesn't stop him. 

He can see the dragon's den, a cave in the mountain, he can climb up and enter it. He isn't sure if the cave is occupied, he's not close enough yet. Just slay the dragon, and get it over with, he's done something remotely similar to this previously. Truth be told, it didn't end in his favour, but this time's different.

Right?

Again, unnecessary thoughts cloud his mind and distract him from the stakes at hand. This is important, he cannot mess this up, or the dragon will have him for breakfast. One foot after the other, gripping onto the rocks to pull himself up, the higher up he gets the trickier it becomes, but he hasn't lost all his skill.

With a exasperated heave, he reaches a flat surface and catches his breathe. Hunched over with his hands on his knees, he wipes the beads of sweat off his forehead. He lifts his head and he's speechless at how close he is to the dragon's layer, just to the right of him. He has a little more to climb, but it's so close. 

Is he really ready?

Well, he wasn't ready for everything suddenly thrown at him, becoming a father, dealing with four hyperactive kids through the years and dealing with their misfortunes. No one's ever truly ready, you have to brace yourself, and do the best you can. All this might be a bit of an understatement compared to the danger he's about to face, but there's no backing down now. 

He marched on, quietly climbing up the rest of the mountain to the dragon's den. There were moments where he slipped up, and falling rocks would cause some ruckus, but he received no reaction from the dragon. He secured his sword in his belt with a shaky hand, why is he so anxious? He's a brave warrior, a hero... 

They never saw him as that, they viewed him as a threat, a nightmare unleashed upon their town replacing the monster he'd just defeated. An angel of death they referred to him as, the exact opposite of a savior to be praised. He doesn't care what they think of him, they can't exile him, he's leaving on his own and never coming back. He's doing them a favour in return of one.

But... no one deserves to be constantly haunted by a dangerous presence looming over them, putting them and their home at risk. Puffy and Sam don't deserve this.

With one final heave, he reaches the flat surface and rests on his knees. He runs a hand through his dishelved hair, cringing at how sweaty it is. He glances over the edge, and takes in the sight of the ground far, far beneath him. He's so high up, it's honestly nerve-wrecking, but he can't take his eyes off its beauty. He can see everything from up here, the village looks so amazing. He hasn't given them proper recognition for their hard work, after the beast had destroyed so much of their land, they rebuilt it all twice as strong, and captivating. He's in awe, and... maybe he did miss it.

His friends, waking up to the savoury smell of freshly baked bread from their lovely bakery he lived right next to, helping the farmers with their crops and tending to the garden, even just the flowers growing around the village. Every day felt like a dream, in the way it was just too perfect to be true, and perhaps it had been. So it came to an end far too soon.

Oh well, it's lost to the past.

He pushes himself to his feet and stretches, cracking his knuckles he pulls out his sword and holds it out in front of him, staring at his own reflection. With this, he'll save them for the last time. 

He takes in a deep breath, bracing himself, and takes a step forward.

A blood-curdling roar echoes from the cave that freezes him where he stands, he hears the flapping of wings and his blood runs cold. He stumbles back, and not a second later did the dragon reveal itself, flying out of its den and into the open air. The fierce wind blew following its movements, Phil had to ground himself, stabbing his sword into the ground.

He shuts his eyes as the wind fought to push him away, send him into oblivion. At the sound of a monstrous roar, Phil cracks open his eyes to see the dragon set its sight on the humble village, and abandon it's den. The final strong flap of its wings is too much, Phil loses his grip on his sword and is sent flying back, a wall is there to catch him.

He lets out a pained groan as he slumps to the ground, clenching his jaw he holds his aching shoulder with a shaky hand. He forces one eye open, but the dragon has left. There's still time before it reaches the village, but not enough, and he won't be able to warn them, there's no way he'll beat the dragon in a race.

He has to do something. His kids are down there, with no idea how close danger lurks. Puffy and Sam, too, along with everyone else in the village, they need to evacuate immediately. 

Biting back another groan as he struggles to stand, using the wall for support, his knees tremble. He reaches out for his sword, but it's too far. He curses under his breath, his back and head throbbing in agony. He punches the wall and lowers his head, but he can't give in. They need him, he's the only one who can save them. It has to be him, no matter what. 

"Come on..." he grumbles between breaths, pushing himself to his feet. He takes one, two steps forward, a pause, followed by two more steps. He outstretches his hand and grabs onto his sword's helm, he almost falls to his knees, but he doesn't let that happen. "You can do this," he tells himself, tightly gripping the helm with both hands, he yanks it from the ground. 

His eyes fixated on the dragon, he takes one two, three steps forward and repeats, speeding up the pace until he goes into a sprint. Running down a mountain isn't the safest method, but it's for sure the quickest. By the gates of the Nether, he is not letting that monster anywhere near his kids. If it's the last thing he does.

* * *

Tubbo's still unconscious, but he has a steady heart beat. The doctor just finished his check up, Sam waits patiently with Tommy, Wilbur and Techno anxiously by his side. 

The doctor holds something in his hand, and Sam doesn't get to see what it is before his hand closes. The doctor turns to Sam, who's body tenses up and his breath hitches, he's supposed to reassuring the kids, putting on a brave face to make their fears disappear. The doctor opens his hand, and what he holds is unfamiliar to Sam. 

"Do you know what this is?"

Sam slowly shakes his head, "no..."

From what he can tell, it appears to be a black, wilted rose petal. He doesn't understand. 

"This is what he coughed up; it's a petal from a wither rose, which gives the wither effect to anyone who touches it," the doctor explains, and crushes it in his hand. "The wither effect acts like poison, the victim's health will gradually deplete over time. The effect will continue until it runs out, or is cured."

There's a cure. His heart does a somersault in his chest, moving closer without thinking. "You can cure him, right?"

The doctor nods, and behind his mask he's smiling from ear-to-ear. "All status effects can be cured with milk, but..." the doctor trails off, and Sam follows his line of sight to Tubbo. "Because of how long this has been going on for, I'm afraid... it might be too late."

No, there has to be a mistake. "No, but, you can still cure him, right?" He pleaded, but as he waited for a response, Tommy bolted out the door without warning. "What─Tommy!" He calls out, doing a quick double-take at the twins and Tubbo, he hurries after Tommy. Wilbur and Techno follow him, but stay by the door.

Luckily, Tommy hadn't gone far, standing just outside. "Tommy!" He raises his voice, but his gaze is fixated on something, and Sam's next words are cut off by piercing screams. The people are evacuating, taking shelter in their homes or simply making a run for it, and it doesn't take long to find out why.

The dragon is coming right for them. 

Sam grabs Tommy and takes cover behind a small house. The dragon flies over their path, breathing fire where they stood mere seconds ago. Where's Phil? He went to the mountain to slay the dragon, right? Is he still up there, desperately trying to get back in time?

In the short moment that his grasp loosens, Tommy escapes and runs into the open. "Tommy!" He shouts, leaning around the corner, and lying on the ground is Phil; he must've fallen off the dragon. 

Phil's head is spinning, he can faintly make out a disoriented voice. He groans in pain, carefully sitting up, he most definitely might have bruised something. After his vision adjusts to the glaring sunlight and his ears tune in with his surroundings, all the panicked screaming and shouting, he hears footsteps. "Dad!" 

He's mortified at Tommy's arrival, he shouldn't be here. Where's Sam? He should be with Sam, far away from the chaos where he's safe. "Tommy─" He's silenced by the beating of wings, and he acts fast, yanking Tommy by his arm and shielding him with a bear hug, Phil brings out his shield and raises it over them.

The dragon passes over them, and they're protected from it's firery breath. The houses around them, however, are burning. The residents will likely escape without any casualties as long as they evacuate the area, but the same cannot be said for their homes and belongings. If they don't do the same, they'll be met with a dreadful fate. 

He's pulled from his thoughts when Tommy tugs at his shirt with trembling hands. "Dad, we need to, to go!" 

Phil lowers the shield and cups Tommy's face, he isn't smiling, there's nothing he can do to sugarcoat this. "Tommy, I need you and your brothers to go with Sam, you'll be safe at his base. Do you hear me?" 

He's freaking out, his train of thought is probably all over the place, but he isn't as naive as he acts. "No!" He snaps, genuine anger reflected in his voice, but the facade instantly disappears, tears welling in the corners of his eyes. "You're coming with us, you can't stay here!" He demands, standing up he tugs on Phil's arm with both hands, but he isn't budging. "Come on! You have to!" He pleads, "I'm not going unless you are, too!"

"Tommy,"

"If you stay, so will I!"

His eyes closed and focusing on getting Phil to move, Tommy doesn't notice Sam approaching until he's lifted off the ground. His mind goes blank, but after he realizes it's Sam, he fights to free himself. "Put me down you, you idiot! Stupid face, dumbass!" He demands, calling Sam every derogatory term he can come up with. "Asshole, bitch!"

He kicks his legs, and dig his nails into Sam's forearms, but nothing works. Phil stands up, and winces as pain shoots through his entire body. He's fine, nothing but a minor bruise, the war is far from over. He locks eyes with Sam behind the mask, sensing his concern, and flashes him a strained, weak smile.

"Where's Tubbo?"

"Put me down!"

Sam flinches as Tommy kicks mercilessly. "He, he's with the doctor, in that house right there─he's unconscious, and the doctor says he's been withered."

The dragon is perched on a house, but it crumbles under it's weight. There aren't too many people left, from what he can observe, there are still a few collecting whatever they can before it perishes in the flames.

"What?! How is that possible─" They duck again as the dragon flies over, and Sam pulls out his own shield. The flames are blocked, but the sizzling against their shields send shivers down Phil's spine. They're prey roaming in the open, they're the easiest targets. 

Tommy has calmed himself, petrified his eyes take in the ever-growing distruction surrounding them. "That's what the doctor said!" Sam yells, keeping his shield above their heads, just in case. 

Phil glares, "well the doctor's wrong! Tubbo has never stepped foot in the Nether!"

Sam scowls, "he's a qualified doctor!"

"Oh, bullcrap!"

Phil ignores their unnecessary argument, and cautiously searches for the dragon. It's behind Sam, knocking over buildings like dominos with its tail in one foul swoop. Good, it's occupied. "Sam, take the kids, including Tubbo back to the base and do not, leave under any circumstances until this is over, you hear me?" He speaks in an agressive tone that shouldn't be challenged, but Sam contemplates it.

Tommy's complaining is drowned out, and Sam nods. They both shift their attention to Wilbur and Techno standing outside the doctor's establishment, and the two rush inside. 

Tears are threatening to fall from Tommy's eyes. "Dad!" He cries, outstrecthing his hand, and he loosely holds onto Phil's sleeve, but it lasts for half a second, Phil moves away and Tommy's hand slips. Phil's back is turned to him, and he runs ahead. "Dad!!" Tommy wails, his voice cracking it goes unheard.

Phil's joints and muscles ache with every step he takes, he won't lie, but it's not something he can't power through. His sword in his hand, it's stained with the dragon's blood, but it's far too little. 

"Phil!"

His heart nearly stops, looking in each direction until his eyes land on Puffy, sprinting towards him. Of course, she did say she planned on taking the dragon down on her own. She withdraws her netherite sword, "are you okay?! Where are the kids?!" She shouts, still a fair distance away. 

"They just left with Sam!" He calls out to her, taking out a potion of swiftness, he chucks it at her and she catches it. One direct hit from the dragon, and it's over. He splashes a potion of swiftness on himself, and as he takes out another potion of strength, his muscles tense at the sound of wings. He turns his head at the perfect time, the dragon is much closer to the ground when it comes around this time. It's wingspan crashes into buildings, breaking them with ease. 

He drops the potion and it smashes against the ground, it's contents splashing onto him. From the corner of his eye, Puffy continues to sprint to his aide. He focuses solely on the dragon gliding his way, and exhales.

In one swift movement, he falls to his knees and lean back, raising his sword it cuts through the dragon as it passes directly over him. It screeches and god, does it hurt his ears. 

He holds on as firm as possible, yet the sword still escapes him. Stabbing the dragon as it flies up and out of his reach, he curses. He's without a sword, and the dragon taunts him, almost, as it's frightening eyes pierce through him, and he glares right back at it. This is tougher than the last opponent he faced, or maybe he lost his touch.

"Phil!" 

Puffy tosses him an enchanted netherite sword, he can't help but whistle and admire it for just a few seconds. He holds it out in front of him, and a wicked smirk spreads across his face, he swears he locked eyes with the dragon at that moment, staring each other down.

"Now, this is getting good."

He charges at the beast, and it does the same. It lowers its head and opens its mouth to breathe fire, and Phil narrowly avoids the firey fate, sliding underneath it's body. He grabs the helm of his sword, but to his misfortune it breaks in half, and he's left with the helm. He takes out his other sword, but by then he's missed his chance. 

The dragons lands, sending a vibration through the ground that result in cracks, and Phil jumps over them. To the right, there's a scream that catches his attention; "Puffy!" He doesn't think twice, running over to Puffy who's fallen into one of the cracks, holding onto the ledge unable to pull herself up. "I'm coming!" 

The dragon has other plans. From the corner of his eye, a tail swings at him, and he does the same tactic, sliding under and slicing with his sword. It does some damage, and the dragon cries out. "That's what you get."

Phil drops to Puffy's side, and quickly helps her out. "Are you okay?" He asks, stabilizing her. Her knees buckle, and she clings to him.

She shakes her head, moving back. "I-I'm fine," she tells him, but she's breathless. 

Phil wants to say more, but he's cut off. The ground beneath their feet shakes, "look out!" And crumbles, widening the cracks, they narrowly avoid falling in. "That was a close one..." Phil whispers, staring down the gaping hole, but it's far from over.

The dragon is coming around again, there's no time for them to dodge. 

"Phil!" Puffy grabs his arm and tugs, he's standing in place. "We need to─" she doesn't finish, Phil grabs her shoulders, and roughly shoves her. She falls face flat on the ground, hitting her nose, "why did you?!" She shouts and raises her head, but her words die in her throat. 

Downing a strength potion does nothing, the dragon hits Phil dead-on and sends him soaring a couple feet. The potion of slow falling slips out of his hand before he can use it, he tries to grab it, but his body crashes onto the surface, knocking the air out of his lungs. He rolls, and soon comes to a halt, lying there limp.

It's pure agony, his mind is split between telling him to give up and rest, he won't be able to take anymore at this rate, whereas the other half is screaming; demanding he keeps fighting. In between the raging conflict, Puffy's voice comes through and it's a punch to the gut.

"Phil!! Phil, please, you have to get up!!" Her voice cracks, and it tears him from the inside. Asides from the overwhelming pain, he can't feel any of his limbs. They've gone numb.

But she's right, it's too early to give up. He needs to ensure this dragon is defeated, because no one else is going to do it. He shoves a hand into his pocket and pulls out a potion of healing, and drops it on himself, the glass shattering and liquid pooring over him, it takes its effect. He winches and grits his teeth as his body regenerates itself, it's euphoric and at the same time, could make him sick. It tingles, and it's like spiders are crawling up his back, but it does the trick.

He's ready for round two. He pays the lingering pain no mind, picking up his sword. He shrugs his shoulders, and glares at the hideous creature staring him down. "Bring it on."

It comes straight for him, foolishly walking into his trap. He side-eyes Puffy watching from the sidelines, and gives her an assuring grin so she won't interfere. He takes out a potion of swiftness and drains it in one swig, not to mention, the strength potion hasn't worn off. It's a surreal sensation, and boy does it feel amazing. 

The dragon reaches him at lightning speed, but he's quicker. He dodges it and ducking under its wing, slicing straight through the flesh and bone. That's one wing down, preventing it from taking flight. Unfortunately, it's pissed it off, swinging it's tail and catches Phil off guard, but he cuts it down. 

There shouldn't be too much left, victory must be close. 

"Phil!"

Breaking away from his thoughts, he couldn't act fast enough to block an attack, or brace himself for impact. He came face to face with the dragon, quite literally, and being only roughly the size of its whole head, the dragon easily launched him into the air. He heard a crack, which might've been his ribs. His muscles froze, he couldn't do a thing in mid-air. He should've panicked, tried everything to save himself, but being so high in the sky again, he missed seeing the clouds up so close, he could almost touch them. That's not possible, however, your hand will phase straight through it and it'll feel like nothing.

Oh, how wonderful it'd been to fly.

He didn't feel his body coming in contact with the dirt. His mind went blank and everything fell silent, his system shut down and his life left through his fingertips. Utter silence, nothing but pitch black blocking his vision. He sunk into the dirt, soft, and comfortable. 

_"Dad!!"_

What... is that disruptive noise?

_"Dad, you have to get up, please!!"_

It's familiar, why exactly he doesn't know. It echoes throughout the empty space, growing louder.

_"Please, dad!! Get up, get up!! You can't die, you, you can't!"_

It's getting louder, beckoning him. Why does he recognize it...?

Tommy.

It's Tommy.

With a gasp, Phil's eyes shoot open and life is breathed back into him. At the exact moment, a wave of unimaginable pain hits him, and he opens his mouth to scream but nothing comes out. He bites his lip so hard it begins to bleed, his vision is distorted and blurry, and he can't even get up. He's paralyzed, and his ears are ringing, preventing him from hearing anything.

But in the distance, Tommy is there, standing a few paces in front of Sam and his brothers. Slipping in and out of consciousness, Phil manages to roll to his back, and standing before Tommy and Puffy who has her sword out, is the dragon. Puffy can't take it down on her own, and... the dragon, no doubt it's going to attack at any given minute. 

This is it, just a little more and he... and it's over. He still has renegration and healing potions stuffed in his pockets, if he can just get them out and use them... Crap, he can't move without suffering from agonizing pain. It's fine, it's fine, he just needs to push through it and the potions will fix everything. 

Lying on his back, he stares up at the cloudy sky. It'll rain soon, and that'll help with all the fire spreading, he can't see it, but he can hear it, the flickering of flames and the dense smell of smoke. He failed, he wasn't able to save the village in time, the people have successfully fled, but they've had to say goodbye to their home a second time.

The memories of his sons flash through his mind, as if these are his final moments and he's remembering his whole life story. Except it's just them, from their meeting, through those blissful three years of harmony he wishes he could return to, up until this very moment, where it all comes spiralling to a tragic end. This is it, the book closes on their tale and there's nothing else left.

But that isn't true.

Even if he admits defeat right here, their lives will still go on, unless it all ends right now. 

He promised he'd keep them safe, he wanted to offer them the world but it was out of his reach. They never cared, all they desired was him in their lives, caring for them every step of the way like the father he's supposed to be. He promised they wouldn't have to worry about a thing, he kept it a secret but in the end it didn't matter. He's twenty-five going onto twenty-six, only a young adult, but he's had his fair share of life and adventure.

Their life, however, has only recently begun. A flower bud that hasn't yet bloomed into an elegant flower, it's too early for them to wilt when they haven't yet experienced life at its best.

It's not over yet.

The pain attempts to drag him down, grabbing him by the ankles and yanking, but he fights. The blood dripping from his nose and skin means nothing, he has plenty of it to spare. He slides a hand into his pocket and takes out a potion of renegration II, he carelessly drops it and it smashes against the ground, but the effect still reaches him. He does it with the other two.

Drinking multiple potions at once is a foolish decision, it overwhelms the nerves no matter the effect. Only novices act so carelessly, and he admits it takes a slight toll on him. Your body stitching itself together and healing itself isn't the best feeling in the world, and he bites back the urge to throw up.

He doesn't have time to waste wallowing in agony and complaining. It takes half a minute, he's taken more damage than he assumed, but a large majority of the pain subdues, replaced with well-welcomed relief. He can literally feel the strength return to him bit by bit, and admittedly not all of it, but enough. 

Puffy is paralyzed, unsure of her next move. She can't wait around forever, but moving in the slightest could set the dragon off and they'd be done for. Her eyes flicker to Phil, and he's standing on his own two feet, still alive. She gets teary-eyed, distracted from the danger ahead of her. "Phil?!"

It catches the attention of everyone else, overjoyed to see him rising from his "death", and taking their eyes off the bloodthirsty beast. 

"Phil!"

The dragon unhinges it's jaw, and in the depths of it's mouth, a flickering flame grows. It starts off small, but grows brighter, and closer. 

It's too late.

Their faces pale at the sight and realization, there's no way they can escape. 

It's over.

This is it.

Sam hugs the children close to him, they shut their eyes tight and huddle together. Puffy remains in her position, but no shield will save her, or any of them, from this. Silently, they brace for impact mere seconds away from now.

One, two, three...

Four.

Six, seven eight go by... and nothing changes. The heat breathes against their skin, but it doesn't burn. Reluctantly, they unravel and peel their eyes to discover the miracle themselves. It truly is a miracle. "D...Dad...?"

Fighting against the flames, Phil blocks it with his body. The fire has no effect against him, he glances over his shoulder, and puts on a smile. As their minds register it all, Phil marches through the blaze, sword in hand, one step after the other. Blinded by it's own fury, the dragon has no way to defend itself.

And so, he landed the finishing blow.

The beautiful village is in shambles, a former shell of what it once were just half an hour ago. It's buildings have fallen, reduced to disarrayed bricks splayed across the land in a mess, trees and everything flammable has caught ablaze. The citizens did not go far, they work together to put up the fires eating away at the remains.

A single drop touches Phil's face. He tilts his head to the sky, and rain begins to pour, granting eventual relief to the community. His sword clatters to the ground, and his knees give in. Puffy and Sam are by his side, helping him to stand when he hadn't even realized they were there. They're hugging him, it feels... comforting, and nice. He did it, this... is the end.

He opens his eyes, and Tommy is standing before him. Sam and Puffy move away, and although he somewhat struggles to stand on his own, he staggers towards Tommy, and falls to his knees, wrapping his arms around him. Tommy does the same. Then Wilbur joins in on the hug, and Techno, and Tubbo. 

"You're okay," Wilbur chokes out, crying into his chest. 

Phil holds them close, and oh, how he missed them. That thirty minutes stretched onto hours, he swears, but they're back in his arms.

"I'm okay," he whispers, pulling them closer. "I'm, we're, okay."

And that's all that matters. 


	15. This could be the end of everything ( so why don't we go somewhere only we know? )

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> song; somewhere only we know by lily allen

There's a tale passed around from village to village, entailing a curious rumour. Over mountains that touch the sky, lakes that drop to the deepest depths and tall trees forming a thick forest far too dark to navigate around and stretches across the land, is a humble residence where a family of five live their days. It is said they are no ordinary family; they're hybrids, a mixture of human and different mobs.

A few have tried to stumble across the house and debunk the silly folktale, none have ever suceeded. They either return and claim it's a myth, saying they couldn't find anything, or they're never heard from again. Most townsfolk who hear of the tale mind their business, and warn adventurous thrill seekers of the Guardian Angel that guards the forest. 

There's a saying that follows; "hear the voice of the forest's guardian, and halt. Don't try to hide, and let it pass." 

If you ever accidentally bump into one of the careless children running through the forest, be wary, the Guardian is near. Present yourself unarmed, and evacuate immediately without hesitance, before he finds you. It is said, however, that hybrids who stumble upon the occupants are warmly welcomed with open arms, the home acting as a safe haven for their kind.

So, another saying follows, warning you to never harass one of their kind, or he'll know. "No matter the distance, a Guardian always watches." Some believe the statement to be true, claiming that many hybrids have wandered off in hopes of finding that sacred place, and are never seen again. Whether they found it or not is unclear.

Many pass it off as nothing more than a tale to tell kids as bedtime stories, and keep them from wandering off on their own. But many heed the warning, and act cautious whenever passing through towering, dark woods, whether night or day. They'd rather not take their chances. 

The stranger trudges through the forest, following the rough, barely visible dirt path they move aside branches in their way and hop over fallen logs and bushes. The path is overgrown by nature, and it's hard to make out, but they find their way, and soon, can hear bubbling laughter and thrilled voices coming from somewhere closeby. 

They slow down to a stop, their surroundings shrouded in darkness, the treetops block the sun's gaze. The laughter gets louder, they move away the tree branches blocking their view, and they're blinded by the sudden brightness. They've reached the end of the forest, the sun is comforting.

They lower their head, and they've reached their destination. 

Phil is running around, chased by Tommy, Tubbo and Techno who are each carrying wooden swords and wearing their costumes, whilst Wilbur sits on the house's decking, softly strumming his guitar and quietly humming to himself. Phil is wearing a shirt that exposes his back, and there are small wings attached that are clearly deformed and have healed from an injury of sorts. "You pipsqueaks can't catch up!" 

"Get back here!!" Tommy yells, Phil's just out of reach from the tip of his blade. "Ugh, slow down!!" He demands, but there's a bright, toothy smile plastered across his face.

Phil laughs wholeheartedly, slowing down just a tad. The stranger catches his attention from the corner of his eye, and the next thing he knows, he's tackled to the ground. Landing on his chest, Tommy and Tubbo throw themselves onto him before he can get up. They're not that heavy, but he admits defeat. "Okay, okay, you got me," he says, and interrupts their moment of rejoice, getting up. 

Tommy sticks his tongue out and raises his sword, and Phil smiles at him, then looks to the unfamiliar person presenting themselves, hiding behind the trees. He brushes down his clothes, his expression turning stern, with an undertone of confusion. 

"Can I help you, kid?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, thank you all for staying until the very end, I hope you enjoyed! ^^
> 
> here are some of my socials;  
> Twitter - sunnyghost5  
> Twitch - ( i plan on streaming minecraft soon! ) sunnyskipper


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